They say that seven is a lucky number.
For the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.), indeed, it is. The institution's renowned Career Center recently marked—amidst the pandemic—seven years of successful operations, and it couldn't be any prouder.
To celebrate this milestone, the T.I.P. Career Center held a month-long series of engagement activities with the theme "Building Careers, Transforming Lives." The event saw T.I.P. students, faculty, alumni, and partners collaborate for peer advising sessions, skills and resume assessment, and virtual company tours, among others.
"The idea of having a career center was introduced to us by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development (STRIDE). Through the years, we have learned to nurture at the institutional level real working linkages with the best industry partners, helping jumpstart the careers and transform the lives of our students," said T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz.
Recognized as a Model Career Center by USAID-STRIDE in 2019, the T.I.P. Career Center has produced top-notch professionals in various fields.
T.I.P., in fact, has an average employment rate of 92.5% for both its Manila and Quezon City campuses. Jobstreet's 2018 Employer Survey also ranks T.I.P. as the seventh most preferred school by employers when it comes to hiring fresh graduates and the second most preferred school by companies in the engineering industry.
"From peer and faculty advising, on-the-job training, internship, apprenticeship, to cooperative education, the T.I.P. Career Center works round the clock to bring T.I.P.ians closer to the career of their dreams, providing them opportunities, experiences, and connections way beyond the usual realm of possibilities in higher education," Dr. Quirino-Lahoz added.
Careers in the Post-Pandemic Era
Capping the T.I.P. Career Center's seventh anniversary celebration was Dr. Farouk Dey, Vice Provost for Integrative Learning and Life Design of Johns Hopkins University.
In his talk, Dr. Dey called on T.I.P.ians to be "unconventional, brave, and audacious" about their future, especially with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
"The biggest startup successes happen in moments of crisis because these are times when rules are suspended, and you have the opportunity to try things out. Don't just rely on luck; be strategic on how you make luck work for you. Ideate, build, and test your prototype to people who can give you honest feedback," he said.
Dr. Dey likewise stressed the need for students and professionals to continuously upskill, citing massive changes in the workplace as reported by global economic groups.
"Jobs you may have planned for yourselves may no longer exist in the future, as they're already being displaced by automations and machines. Take a moment to pay attention to what is changing around you. If you allow your vision to be guided by outcome and data, you are more likely to succeed."
Despite the pandemic, the T.I.P. Career Center remains committed to ensuring the success of its students and graduates. To know more about its services, check out facebook.com/TIPCareerCenter.
