The wave of layoffs in the past few months have many asking what life after tech looks like.
For eight years, Ruben Villa of Gilroy spent most of his time at Google working as a visual designer.
Then came the January morning when he suddenly couldn’t log on to his employee account.
Even as he was trying to figure out what was happening, the condolences began arriving
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“Getting text messages even saying, ‘hey sorry about the news. I’m so sorry.’ I was confused. I thought I had died,” he laughed.
That's how he discovered he’d been laid off. He became one of tens of thousands of techies suddenly out of a job and facing an uncertain future.
Villa said it was a personal and emotional blow for him, and likely many others.
“I saw a spectrum of emotions. Completely distraught and can't talk about it even yet,” he said.
But now, almost two months later, Villa thinks the pink slip might have been a blessing in disguise.
For years, he called art a side hustle and today, it's become his main hustle.
He is now a full time artist and he’s loving it.
“Being laid off or let go by a company doesn’t have any reflection on your value, intrinsic value as a human being,” said Villa. “And your skill sets are very much still needed.”
Next month, Villa will open an art gallery in Gilroy, called Fuchilandia.
His latest medium: Chiclets. The small gum he used to see children selling at the Mexico border -- children doing their hustle.
He created Frida Kalho with Chiclets and even our Lady of Guadalupe, which now adorns the local church. All made of Chiclets -- a tribute to those border children.
“When I create art with Chiclets, it’s an homage to them because I have to keep telling their stories,” said Villa.
He doesn’t have the benefits and pay he used to enjoy at Google. But in a way, the artist says he feels richer now.
“For me as a Chicano, I feel I have a larger responsibility than to create art for art’s sake,” he said.
Career coach Sylvia Bonilla Zizimbo says career pivoting is always something to consider when laid off.
“One silver lining with layoffs is exploring new areas of interest,” she said. “Sometimes with layoffs there’s a little bit of fear of judgement and expectations to replace your role in a similar field. This is your chance to try something new.”
Villa did just that and found that there is life after tech.
“This is my blueprint,” said Villa.
