21st-century techniciansOctober 08, 2021

José Jimenez and Jordan Cadiz enjoy specializing in their work.  While their careers are different and their life journeys have varied, both are committed to excelling in their chosen fields.

Jimenez has lived in Midland all his life and is a 1997 graduate of Midland High School.  Cadiz, on the other hand, was born and raised in Florida and moved to Midland in November 2019 with her husband who is in the oil and gas industry.

Jimenez completed an Associate of Applied Science degree in Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Heating Technology from Midland College (MC) in 2002.  He took Auto Technology dual credit courses in high school and then worked at Firestone for about a year.  

“When I decided to return to Midland College to complete my degree, I knew that I wanted a career that was ‘hands-on,’” Jimenez explained.  “I wasn’t sure that I wanted to stick with Auto Tech, but I wanted something that would be more stable than the oil and gas industry.  Since everybody in West Texas needs air conditioning, I decided to take HVAC classes.”

Cadiz also enjoys “hands-on” careers.  Midland College is not the first community college that she has attended.  She also began her college career in high school by taking dual credit courses through Brevard Community College (now Eastern Florida State College).  After high school graduation in 2007, she completed an Associate of Arts degree at Brevard.  She also has a Bakery & Patisserie Culinary certification from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Sacramento, CA.  Her past careers include working in technical publications/technical records for an aircraft repair and manufacturing company in Florida, as well as working for a wedding cake specialty bakery in California.

“I loved my previous jobs, but they never felt like they were careers,” Cadiz recalled.  “When I moved to Midland, I started working as a registration clerk at Medical Center Hospital.  I loved the medical environment, and I started to take notice of various medical careers.  Respiratory therapy really interested me, especially when COVID hit, and I admired how the therapists took care of the patients who were suffering with pulmonary issues.  So, here I am in my second year of MC’s Respiratory Care program.”

Both Jimenez and Cadiz are in high-demand jobs.  Jimenez is a technician at The Bosworth Company, specializing in commercial HVAC systems.  Even though Cadiz is still completing her degree in Respiratory Care, she is already employed at Midland Memorial Hospital (MMH) as a respiratory intern.

“While respiratory care is definitely a specialty, it also allows versatility,”  Cadiz said.  “Once I get my degree, I can work in neonatal intensive care, pediatrics, sleep studies, pulmonary function tests, cardiac procedures and even as a member of a flight team.  I’m an adrenaline junkie, and I really enjoy working in the Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Room.  It’s an amazing feeling to help someone who is critically ill get better.  

“MMH is a great place to train because of its vascular access program, which allows respiratory therapists to do things like insert PICC lines and arterial central lines.  There are only two or three hospitals in Texas that have this program.”

Jimenez is also grateful for his past and previous employers.

“I’ve been really lucky to have wonderful employers and supervisors,” he said.  “When I was taking classes at Midland College, I was a work study in the Public Relations department.  The staff helped me obtain scholarships and really taught me a sense of work ethic.  Now, I’ve been employed with The Bosworth Company for 19 years, and the owners and managers are really kind.  They tend to workers’ needs, and we have terrific benefits.  I’m able to have a rewarding career that allows me to provide for my family.”

“When José  was a work study in the Public Relations Office, he was very efficient, always on time and extremely respectful,” Mary Lopez, MC Public Relations coordinator, said.  “I knew he would be successful in anything he did because he had a goal.  I have kept up with him all these years, and I’m very proud of the man he has become—a hard-working family man.”

José Jimenez and his wife Maria have been married for two years.  They have a 7-month-old son named Joseph.  Jimenez also has a 13-year-old daughter Jazlynn from a previous marriage.  In his spare time, he enjoys golfing and hunting.  

Jordan Cadiz and her husband have only been married for a year and a half.  They are the proud parents of two dogs, both named as a tribute to her culinary career—Panini is a Chihuahua/Yorkie mix, and Basil is a Husky.  They also recently acquired an Axolotl, also known as a Mexican walking fish.  When she isn’t interning 12-hour shifts or studying to complete her Respiratory Care degree, Cadiz enjoys playing video games, crafting, knitting, crocheting, traveling and reading.

“Jordan’s characteristic is that of a silent leader,” Kally Eddison, MC Respiratory Care department chair, noted.  “She has a desire to learn while encouraging her classmates to provide the best patient care.  Her attention to detail and quality within the classroom and clinicals show her drive to become a respiratory therapist that will strive to provide the best care to our community.  It is a privilege to have her as a student within our program.”

Jimenez and Cadiz said that they are proud to be 21st-century technicians and both admit that one of the key components to being successful is the ability to adapt to new technology.  This adaptability is a matter of great pride to both—whether it is providing comfort with better air conditioning or helping someone breathe better.

“As the COVID pandemic rages forward, the advancement of pulmonary technology has given the medical field a boost in various treatments,” Cadiz said. “I know that to be a good respiratory therapist I must keep current with technology so that I can be a strong advocate for my patients.”

Jimenez agreed that technological advancements are vital to the HVAC industry, as well.  

“What new technology does is create new opportunities to be the best I can be at my job,” he said.