Tackling Career Insecurities - Tech in UPRM
Welcome to my “Tackling Career Insecurities” blog! My name is Iván
Jackson. I am a current student majoring in Computer Engineering at the
University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, and I created this blog for my fellow students
and entering students to El Colegio. Like many others, I struggled with career
insecurities, and it's something that's far more common than I originally
thought, which leads us to this blog! I’ll reflect on my experiences as a
guidance student, undergraduate researcher, and typical student as I course
through tackling career insecurities. I also partnered up with some key people
to help me break down the subject: Madeline J. Rodriguez Vargas (Head of
Counseling and Psychological Services Department), and Nayda G. Santiago
(Professor and Researcher in Computer Engineering). At UPRM, in particular, it can be challenging to decide on a
particular career because El Colegio offers several tech-related degrees. These
can seem very similar, and they do overlap in some areas, but in reality, they
are different when it comes to curriculum and applications (which will be
covered later). More specifically, the Computer Engineering, Software
Engineering, and Computer Science and Engineering programs are the ones I’ll be
discussing.
My sangre-verde reader, if you’re about to start and want to
make an educated decision, or if you’ve ever questioned whether you’re in the
right tech-field, you’re in the right place. We’ll talk about how to identify
if you actually like what you’re studying, describe the different programs and
discern them clearly, and even cover some tips to help you stay focused and in
love with your studies.
As I mentioned before, I myself struggled with deciding what
career to pick (I was conflicted about whether to choose Computer Engineering
or Software Engineering), and I would like to start by stating that...
It’s okay to have insecurities about your studies!
It’s
very important to understand that this is fairly common and to not let fear
blow these insecurities out of proportion. Both Madeline and Nayda have helped students
looking for advice. Many of these students feel insecure at some point, so
you’re definitely not alone. It’s actually good that you’re feeling this way; it
indicates that you are thinking ahead about what you want to do and that you’re
not just taking classes because your parents told you to do so. One simple
question that can help you determine whether or not you like your current
subject is:
Do you like what you study?
Sometimes, we might give a default answer to this question without
actually thinking about it. How do you know you actually like what you study?
Madeline suggests thinking and reflecting about your time spent outside of
class. Here are a few key questions she suggested:
- Do you find yourself thinking/talking about class-related topics/problems in your free time?
- Do you set aside time to look into topics related to your field of study?
- Do you visualize yourself working and using your acquired knowledge in the future?
- Do you find yourself usually engaged and attentive in your classes?
If you find yourself thinking about that complicated equation during your
free time, or if you’re constantly observing and appreciating how your studies
apply to the real world, you’re probably loving your studies and should stick
to it. On the other hand, if you enter a class just waiting for it to be over,
or if your grades aren’t that great, you should take note of this. It can
indicate that another career path is better suited for you. However, there are
other factors to consider…
Why am I insecure?
We all hate to hear it, but one of
the main causes for career insecurity is a lack of motivation. This can occur
due to a lack of vision, and vice-versa.
What do I mean by “lack of
motivation”? Studying and taking classes is hard, but the idea of becoming a
professional in your field should make both of these activities a bit more
bearable. For example, I have struggled quite a bit with my hardware-related
classes (Circuits 1 & 2, Logic Circuits, etc.), but I know that the topic
interests me; I just have a harder time understanding it. In order to stay motivated,
I visualize myself applying those concepts to more complex classes and
projects, and hopefully to my profession as well.
Of course, sheer will power isn’t
gonna get you through your studies. You need to combine it with good habits, or
better said, habits that fit you! The 16
Personalities page is a good resource to give you an idea of what works
best for you. It won’t solve your problems, but it will give you an awareness
of your strengths and weaknesses, and you can translate those into better study
habits or situations to avoid because they don’t work well for you (If you took the tests, I’m a
CONSUL, in case you’re wondering :) ).
When it comes to staying focused
while studying, a good technique to adopt is the Pomodoro Technique.
The fundamental principle of this approach is to set a timer. For fifteen minutes,
you focus only on studying and ignore everything else. After the timer rings,
you take a quick break to check your phone, take a bathroom break, or maybe
even look at a meme. The point is doing something that doesn’t take too long.
Then, you start the timer again, and repeat! You can check the specific time
divisions on the site and progress along with it, starting at the 15-minute
focus period and increasing as you gain discipline. There’s a lot
of techniques out there, and some might work better than others, but you’ll
never know until you try!
As I mentioned before, it might
not just be a lack of motivation that is causing your career insecurities.
Maybe you just can’t envision yourself doing anything in particular in the
future. That can sound rough, but it’s nothing new and there’s no reason to be
ashamed of it. There are steps you can take, especially at UPRM, to build a
future in your career. For example, you could:
-
Join a project group or a research
group
-
Attend company info sessions
-
Become part of an organization (like CAHSI)
All of these options help you
network with students and professionals from your selected field. They also
expose you to real-world projects and situations and help you define who you
aspire to be. If you almost never interact with topics from your field (either
by looking for extra information on
your own, talking to friends about class topics, etc.), you might dread the
subject you are studying, which leads to more frustration and career
unhappiness.
Am I on the right track?
As I
mentioned before, the only way to know for sure is to get involved in your
program. Nonetheless, you should be clear about what courses you’ll be taking
and the ways in which you can apply the knowledge you will acquire. None of
them is better than any other; it’s about finding which one interests you the
most. Let’s describe them:
Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering is defined as
"...integrates computer science and electronics principles to analyze and design
computer systems. The Computer Engineering program encompasses all aspects of
design, theory and practice related to systems of digital and analog
computation and information processing; components and circuits for computing
systems; relevant portions of supporting disciplines; applications, use,
and programming of computing devices and information processing systems;
and the use of computers in electrical and electronic engineering."
If you’re interested in working with both hardware and
software in your projects, this is the track for you. Out of all the programs
I’ll be talking about, this is the only one that includes a big chunk of
electronic components and thus makes it the most distinct one. You’ll get a
deep understanding of barebone programming and see the impact of the program on
the device. Examples of topics to expect: sensors, hardware logic, robotics. See
the curriculum
Software Engineering
Software Engineering is defined as "The Bachelor of Science
Program in Software Engineering is based on the set skills defined by the
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Software engineering
is the application of a well-structured, systematically and quantitative
methodology in the development, operation, and maintenance of computational
programs."
Unlike Computer Engineering, Software Engineering focuses only on software
and can be applied in every industry. This program focuses on software
performance and scaling (creating a solution to handle 20 users vs. 1 million
users and understanding its implications). See the curriculum
Computer Science and Engineering
Computer Science and Engineering is defined as “... offering a wide and flexible formation in different aspects associated with the
analysis, design, and implementation of computing systems, including computer
networking, artificial intelligence, databases, computer graphics, web
applications, mobile devices, the design and implementation of programmable
languages, and the computer architecture.”
This program is similar to Software
Engineering, but it offers a different perspective and differs in its usual
applications. In this track, you will focus on algorithm design and
optimization with a computer science and engineering approach. See the
curriculum
Although these 3 programs are
different in applications, they share a common baseline: engineering. They
teach you how to problem-solve like an engineer, personally, this is my
favorite part). Engineers look at problems through the lenses of science and
mathematics. These three programs teach you to tackle big problems with
existing tools, or to create new tools. You will constantly find yourself in
group projects, something all engineers should learn how to handle. There are two
other tech-related programs in El Colegio that are not engineering
programs. They are:
Computerized Information Systems
“The purpose of the concentration
of Computerized Information Systems is to train professionals in Business
Administration with the general knowledge required in this field. In addition,
they will be trained to evaluate and plan the IT needs of a company. It
emphasizes the use of the life cycle of a computerized information system for
the analysis and design of systems and programming between computers. Upon
completion of their studies, the student will be able to develop and manage a
computerized information system that meets the needs of a modern company. The
student will be able to prepare to take professional certification exams in
areas related to this discipline.”
This program is part of the Business and
Administration department and it focuses more on practical uses for computers
in existing industries. You will learn more about how to use existing resources
to boost a company as well as how this would affect the business model and
monetization of resources. See the curriculum
Mathematics - Computer Science
Mathematics - Computer Science is described as “In this program, students are
provided with a background in Calculus and Algebra, and a strong concentration
in Computer Science. Electives can be directed towards Programming, Computer
Science, Simulation, and Numerical Analysis.”
This program is similar to Computer
Science and Engineering, except in that it focuses less on the engineering aspect
and provides a stronger mathematical background and approach to problems. Here,
you will see a lot of discrete math, and you will understand the foundations of
algorithms and look for ways to improve them. See
the curriculum
Conclusion
At the end of the day, these five programs all deal with
tech development on some level. Most
companies aren’t very strict when matching opportunities with any of the
aforementioned majors; they just want to make sure you understand the
necessary concepts for you to thrive in the real world. The programs focus on
different topics but when it comes to job selection, I rely on what makes me
happy and my level of comfort. Hopefully, this blog helped you with questions
around career insecurity, solidifying your choice in the track you are in, and understanding
the differences between academic programs. If you have any specific questions,
you can reach me at ivan.jackson@upr.edu
and I’ll try my best to help you, or refer you to someone that can!