Fuelled by Her Passions
Having a huge interest and knack for computers, Josephine (or "Phine,") took up Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) at STI College – EDSA-Crossing (now STI College - Shaw). During her college days, Phine participated in activities to hone her talents and strengthen her other abilities aside from her computer programming skills. After displaying her eloquence, she was given her first award in "Best in Speech." During IT Week, she helped set up booths on the history of computer in exhibits, and played a role in presenting short skits. And at the time of her freshman year, she even joined the cheerleading group. However, balancing her time between studies and school activities proved to be difficult that she had to learn the importance of prioritizing. Her classes were difficult at times, but Phine was able to draw inspiration from her college boyfriend, who is now her husband.
Her school life gave her a lot of challenges, which she learned from and have helped mold her to be the efficient manager that she is today. Phine graduated in 2003 and landed her first job as a Software Engineer at Accenture. The knowledge and skills she learned from school, paired with her enthusiasm for her work and her experience in Accenture helped her grow professionally. From her time at Accenture, she progressed to her role as a Delivery Manager in Sun Life Financial today. Phine is handling the group and channel line of business, while providing technical support for the company's applications such as enhancements, additional functionalities, and user inquiries. With all the technicalities of her work, she remains thankful for the training in computer programming that she received at STI more than anything. Nevertheless, she knows that there are other skills such as communication and adaptability that are just as significant in the professional world. Both are skills that she believes to be the advantage of STI students, like herself, over others.
"It is important to grow not just in your technical skills when you get into the professional life," she shares, "because at the end of the day, the industry will not only look at your key knowledge in your field, but also your know-how in other areas."
While she continues to learn as much as she can in the ever advancing computer world, she is also eager to learn the ropes of the financial industry and ensure growth in her current line of work. She has much to experience in her present company, but the preparation STI gave her helped Phine advance faster in her career. She had managed people and took on huge roles and responsibilities, a skill that she developed in college. Beyond all that, she believes the importance of passion in achieving one’s goals.
" You really need to have the passion in the field you want to pursue - because having the passion is the first step to ensure that you will get to the goal you want to achieve," says Phine.
