This year on April 17 would be my silver anniversary from graduating from College. I can still remember that day when I walked the main aisle and got my diploma and gave it to my parents after 6 years of hard work in college. Engineering in all disciplines takes 5 years, due to financial constraints I had to work and study at the same time. So, it took me another year to finish my engineering course. To help my parents cope up with my tuition fee. I got a working scholarship at school, working at the library as a student assistant. This was my first job, to take care of books and facilities for the school and students. In this manner, more students can use and learn from the books at the library. The biggest benefit for me was, I was able to manage my time at school more effectively. During those pre digital age, part time work for students were limited only to working at nearby fast food. Two of the most famous were Jollibee and McDonalds. They give part time jobs to students which helps them financially. A lot of students were able to finish school due to these fast food companies. However, you have to be a master of time management to juggle both school and duty at the fast food. For me I wanted to have more time at school, so being a student assistant was a better option for me to work and study at the same time.
This was my first realization of the need to be resilient and resourceful to achieve your goal. Life is never without challenges. As they say if there’s a will there will always be a way to solve your problems legally. I emphasized “legally” because there are solutions which are “quick-fix” and not legal in nature. We stick with the legal and hard earned solution in life. My working scholarship was good since, it gave me a huge discount on my tuition fee. I paid only five hundred pesos (Php 500) for my tuition fee and free books (per semester). This was for me a good deal, plus 3 hours a day for 5 days at school is cool. Then after 3 years of service the school would give 100% tuition fee plus allowance. I was really looking forward to that deal. Engineering life is never simple, of all the subject matters which needs attention is our best friend “Mathematics”. I saw all the symbols and numbers possible in this world. Symbols such as “differentiation”, “integration”, “division”, “multiplication”, “subtraction” and “addition”. However, 25 years later only the last four functions are used frequently. For bids and computing for business and your salary (hopefully always addition, not division and subtraction please). But it’s totally different when it comes to technology. Whatever we learn from school about it was only the tip of the ice-berg.
Since the day I made my last thesis on both electronics and Wireless Design in 1993. All have been modified, improved 2000 percent. In the 30+ Cellular networks in which I have been involved here in Asia Pacific, all have been evolving since 1994. Now when I hear “Differentiation” and “Integration” it will always be on the technology part not anymore on the mathematical aspect (it’s a lot better). In my next series of Blogs, we will identify more on the Cellular Networks until Wi-Fi. The evolution and current stage here in our country. The future of Telco and its services. To make our world connected, informed and relevant to our needs. Looking forward to write to you again…
TechLifeBlog 