Last May 20, 2022, the College of Computer and Information Science (CCIS) held the online webinar titled “Future Proof Your Career”. The roundtable discussion addressed the topics and issues in the industry of Information Technology, particularly in data science and data analytics.
Leading the panel was the Vice President and Board of Trustees Member of Analytics Association of the Philippines (AAP), Mr. Monchito Ibrahim; the Vice President and Philippine Computer Society (PCS) Board of Trustees Member and PCS Information and Computing Accreditation Board, Mr. Francis John Francisco; Founder and CEO/CIO of Cyber Optimus Philippines Inc., Mr. Ernesto C. Boyden, and lastly, Mr. Sherwin Yap, the owner of KaiZen Robotics International who all offered not only their expertise in maneuvering the data and technology driven industry but also their shared experience as to what is the current state of the landscape demands from the incoming members of the workforce and how weaknesses and strengths can be addressed.
“The answer in preparing our students for a future that is ever-changing is to not only stick with technical skills but also build character,” Mr. Boydon states, “The 3 important characteristics for an individual are to be Adroit, Agile, and Adaptable.” Mr. Francisco added that soft skills in line with technical skills are just as important to be learned in any industry and it starts by unlearning the undesirable habits that students have learned along the way.
In addressing the opportunities available to the workforce of the country, Mr. Yap admitted that experiential and practical learning are key factors in unlocking the potential that this industry has in our country. Mr. Ibrahim further expounded and provided insight that a lot can be gained in the industry if the pillars, namely the government sector, the industry sector, and the academe sector, can work together in order to make these opportunities possible to both students and teachers.
The challenge to pioneer and broaden the horizons of Industry 4.0 in the country are ripe for the taking, highlighted by the invited speakers in this series moderated by Ms. Carol Poblete from the CCIS Department and Mr. Michael James Gnilo, a 4th Year B.S. Computer Science student.