Despite having Olympic credentials, this engineer is still searching for employment

At 32, he’s both an engineer and a professional athlete now, he shares his journey, his challenges, and the hopes he holds for the future.

Shan Gayle, a 32-year-old engineer and Olympian, recently shared his unusual life story in an interview with Business Insider.

At the Paris Summer Olympics, I was the sole athlete representing Belize. As I walked in the opening ceremony, proudly waving my nation’s flag, I was filled with energy and pride. I never imagined that moment would be seen by so many but videos of me have now been viewed over 10 million times on social media.

Behind the excitement of that moment, though, was a very different reality. I had completed a job interview at the Houston airport just before flying to France. While staying in the Olympic Village, I was scheduling late-night calls back to the U.S. for more interviews all while continuing to send out job applications. In the past year alone, I’ve applied for nearly 300 positions, and still haven’t received an offer.

In May 2024, I earned my bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. I assumed finding a job would be straightforward but the reality has been anything but. Despite multiple interviews, I’m still waiting for my first official offer.

For years, I’ve competed at the international level in athletics. Running the 100 meters at both the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Olympics, representing Belize on the national team, and moving from my hometown to Texas after catching the eye of a college coach these have all been major milestones in my athletic journey. But focusing on track and field has never brought me financial stability. I’ve never been paid to compete at the Olympics or World Championships only travel stipends from our national federation covered the basics. With such an intense athletic schedule, sticking to a full internship program was nearly impossible.

After graduating, I had to return to Belize due to the restrictions of my F-1 student visa. Now, I’m living with my grandparents, trying to regain the green card I lost as a child. My father is a U.S. citizen, and I even spent part of my childhood in Texas but because I wasn’t living in the U.S. full-time, my residency was revoked. To get a green card, you need to have spent the majority of your time in the States, which I didn’t.

Maybe it’s the salary I’m asking for, maybe it’s the way my résumé performs in applicant tracking systems, or maybe it’s my immigration status but something has made it incredibly hard to land a job. At first, I focused only on roles in industrial engineering, but eventually I broadened my search to all engineering fields. The U.S., especially Texas, is still my top choice but I’ve also looked into opportunities in Belize, Mexico, and France.

Ideally, I’d like to work in the U.S. that’s where the opportunities are, the culture feels familiar, and it’s not too far from Belize. I’ve had about seven interviews so far. Maybe two or three went to second rounds, but none led to an offer.

To improve my qualifications, I recently began an online Master’s in Electrical Engineering through UCAM in Spain. Right now, my only income comes from coaching youth track and field just 75 Belize dollars (about 37 USD) per session. I’m deeply grateful to my grandparents, who are helping me cover my basic living expenses.

Although I initially announced my retirement after the Paris Olympics, I changed my mind a few months later. Big competitions like the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo are coming up. I know that having a full-time job will affect my training schedule, but I’m ready to adapt to this new chapter of life.

I truly believe my future is in the United States building a career in engineering, gaining experience, and eventually moving into leadership roles. Until that day comes, I’ll keep applying, sharpening my skills, and staying hopeful that the right opportunity will come along.