Adulting 101: A Circuiteer’s guide for senior year
4 to (possibly) 8 years in college, especially in EEE, is not a joke. For us, graduating is a huge milestone and a very bright light at the end of the tunnel. Nevertheless, college is more than just one’s course and the sleepless nights spent on studying; it is also the friends we make along the way. College is also about us and our orgmates, the fun activities in our orgs, the unwinding we do at our tambayans, and the fun we make all throughout. With the Coronavirus Pandemic and the subsequent shift to remote learning, however, we all feel robbed of the opportunity to make memories inside our university with the people we cherish — our blockmates, our classmates, and our orgmates. Moreover, seniors will not be able to bid their peers a proper farewell, nor will they be able to maximize their last days on the grounds of UP. For those of us ways away from graduation day, it is really a question for the imagination. How is it like for a student to be in their last year, during the pandemic, in an online learning setup, transitioning to life after college?
What was it like to be in your senior year during the pandemic?
In one way or another, every student was (and still is) affected by the shift to remote learning. According to Arnold “Asti” Lagmay, a 5th year Computer Engineering student, he got burnt out spending almost 7 days a week on requirements, with limited time for leisure activities. One can only imagine the sudden turnaround — spending 3 to 4 years of learning within the walls of the university, just to shift to online learning by the fifth.
Aside from the overwhelming requirements of their last year, there are also certain events that the seniors wish they have been able to go to had it not been for the pandemic. “As a senior, I had so much plans for my (hopefully) final year at the university. I wanted syempre to attend all the university ganaps like UP Fair, Maskipaps, Engg Week, and all the inuman sessions one last time. Pero ayon, with the pandemic going on, we were robbed talaga of the opportunity to really enjoy our final year sa UP”, said Ysabela Coronel, a 5th year Electronics Engineering student. “I think this is the saddest part of being in a pandemic during your senior year, not being able to have a proper farewell to your friends and org mates” said Grace Layug, also a 5th year ECE student.
With the pandemic, unwinding and bonding with friends after a draining day of acads has become hard due to everything going online. “Before the pandemic, you can easily invite other orgmates if you want to unwind. I would often eat and drink with friends and orgmates at Area 2, Katipunan, Maginhawa, or UPTC”, said Asti. Unwinding after a very challenging exam with friends is probably one of the activities many of us miss (and are yet to experience). Back then, exams and reqs were made lighter by friends and support systems literally by your side. Moreover, seniors will be unable to proudly wear a sablay amidst a crowd of other graduates behind Quezon Hall. According to Grace, however, they are still hoping for a physical graduation ceremony.
Are there new career opportunities for EEE graduates?
Industries related to EEE are growing with the advancement of technology today. According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), electrical and electronic equipment remain to be a significant component of the Philippine economy, forming “the foundation of the country’s export basket.” In fact, latest figures show that electronic products continue to be the country’s top export, amounting to 56.4% of the total exports.
According to Asti, the majority of new career opportunities are related to data science, e-commerce, and DevOps (development and operations). “EEE graduates are definitely in demand based on my job hunt. There are a lot of opportunities for EEE graduates in software and hardware companies and even in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and Finance industries. I also know EEE graduates who took up management training or managerial positions”, he added. For him, it seems that the job market is now more competitive because of the pandemic, so it is important to be well-rounded and rich with experience.
For Carl Adrian “CA” Patco, an ECE graduate and Circuit alumnus, in demand jobs include Machine Learning Engineers, Data Analysts, Data Scientists, Data Engineers, Cloud Engineers, and Artificial Intelligence Engineers. “These job roles are becoming in demand due to the fact that many companies are now shifting towards cloud-based systems and system automations. Now with the influx of massive amounts of data, companies will need people who can process that data and convert them to business solutions,” he added.
CA also thinks that there is still an abundance of opportunities for EEE graduates. He mentioned certain fields in which a graduate can pursue such as RF (Radio-frequency) Engineering, Signal Processing, Microsystems, Power Electronics, Software Engineering, Telecommunications, and even IT. “With emphasis to telecoms, given that DITO [Telecommunity] has just entered the market.”
On the other hand, getting hired after graduation depends on many aspects for Grace. According to her, getting hired immediately depends on one’s company or industry of preference, whether or not it’s hiring season, the length of the hiring process, and the number of candidates vying for one’s desired position, among others. “From what I see, there are many opportunities for EEE graduates. I can’t really say that it’s “easy” but I think graduating in UP has an advantage,” she adds.
Stanley “Stan” Mamala, Jr., also a recent ECE graduate and Circuit alumnus, also thinks that there will be an abundance of opportunities for EEE graduates. “As we enter a world with advancements in EEE (such as 5G Communications, Data Science, and greener energy), the need for engineers like us will continue to rise,” he stated.
Advice for senior year from the seniors
Studying in EEE is, in of itself, a feat of bravery. Without a steady support system, study buddies, strategies for exams and subjects, and other efforts needed to survive each semester, taking EE, ECE, or COE can become a heavy burden. Nevertheless, EEE is the stepping stone that is promised. College is never easy, and we all have our ways of reaching the finish line.
For Ysabela, there is more to university life than just academics. “Go establish friendships! Go experience life! Go have fun! You’re only a college student for a while, make the most out of it!” According to her, the one mantra she lived by throughout college is to “take life one day at a time.” She reminds everyone that college is already hard, thus there’s no need to be hard on oneself as well. Lastly, she reiterates the importance of skills developed when joining organizations, as most companies are keen on hiring tech-savvy people for managerial or administrative positions.
As for Grace, what’s vital is planning your senior year ahead of time and making the most out of it. For her, one’s thesis and remaining subjects are really important, especially since the former will possibly come up in job interviews. “Try to attend every opportunity like company talks, job fairs, trainings, and seminars that could help you prepare for job applications.” Nevertheless, she reminds everyone to not forget to enjoy. “Make the most out of your stay, be active in orgs, attend events and internal game nights if you can. You’ll miss all of that once you graduated.”
Asti, on the other hand, focused more on his thesis and job applications in his senior year. “Make sure that you choose a thesis topic [that] you really like because it will take up most of your time and energy. You should also make sure that it is doable because I’ve experienced changing topics multiple times even after my proposal was approved,” he added. He reiterates the importance of having a great adviser if planning to go solo, whereas choosing groupmates wisely is vital if one opts to be in a group. “For those who are concerned about job applications, try to become a student assistant, get an internship or other work experience, and choose a great thesis topic. These three were the most discussed in my job interviews and remember that they represent your technical skills and work ethic,” he further stated. For him, it is important to develop new skills related to what one’s dream job would be or to work on an impressive resume during free times. Moreover, interpersonal skills are also very important for him, but he is confident that UP Circuit sufficiently prepares its members for that. Lastly, he reminds everyone to rest and take care of one’s self, especially in times like these. “You have already made it this far, so believe that you are strong and capable.”
Advice on senior year from the graduates
Is it a guarantee that EEE graduates will land on a high-paying job? What skills do you think are important for a graduate to have? How should incoming seniors prepare for the working world?
Coming from CA, there is a chance to land on a high paying job but without guarantee. “In my experience, it will still depend on your performance in the university. There are companies that use your grades, university you graduated from, and even leadership roles you had as a basis for your salary.” Moreover, he adds that presenting yourself well enough during interviews and proving yourself worthy gives you a better chance of getting a high salary job.
As for the important skills that a graduate must have, he strongly suggests the improvement of one’s writing and oral communication skills. “People who have the confidence to present themselves and carry conversations will definitely reach far. Companies just usually look at a person’s willingness to learn and drive to be better themselves.” Moreover, he reiterates that people who are great in coding have an advantage over others given that, according to him, programming languages are vastly used for data processing, automation, app development, et cetera. Stan, on the other hand, believes that another must-have skill is adaptability, or being able to cope with changes. For him, adaptability requires a person to be open minded and eager to learn new things. “With this skill, we as engineers, will be able to help everyone adjust to the rapid innovations and advancements in technology,” he adds.
Lastly, CA reminds incoming seniors that it’s okay to be clueless when you graduate. “To be honest, when I graduated, I felt like I had nothing to offer as a EEE student. Coding was really not my strongest suit and being great at KCL/KVL won’t really get me far. So my advice would be, involve yourself more on leadership roles in Councils/Organizations while making sure that your grades are competent enough. Grades will definitely land you interviews, but being able to communicate well in that interview will be the deciding factor for you to land a job.” He also reminds students that UP Circuit is massive and diverse — packed with resident members and alumni. We should, therefore, take the chance and ask questions when needed.As for Stan, his piece of advice for everyone who is having a hard time is to rest. “Take time off from everything. Be sad and cry if you must. Be angry, be frustrated, so be it. Rebuild yourself in secret and bounce back stronger. We know that all of these shall pass but for now, rest. Rest is also part of living,” he adds.
Entering senior year is a tough hurdle to overcome — the last hurdle to overcome before finally leaving UP. Worrying about the future is inevitable, and we would often find ourselves asking the big questions about what happens next. Nevertheless, many have come before us, and it is never wrong to take their two cents’ worth on things. After all, they were also at this very same hurdle, and they were able to overcome it. For now, may we have the courage to take life one day at a time and take small steps towards achieving our dreams. Moreover, may we never forget to be patient with ourselves. We have come this far and we have grown this much — a lot better than we were a few years back. Thus, let’s make our stay in UP count.
