PhilNITS Examination Centers

To make the PhilNITS exams accessible to as many Filipinos as possible, it is currently being conducted on several examination centers nationwide. As the certification exam becomes more widely recognized, the number of examinees is expected to increase, with it the number of examination centers also. As of the moment, please refer to the list below for the examination centers where you can choose to take the exam. Please note that registration for the exam itself can be done only through the three offices of PhilNITS at Manila, Cebu and Davao (you may refer to this earlier post, PhilNITS the Organization, for the complete address and contract information) or via the PhilNITS website at http://www.philnits.org/.

Manila:
Philippine Christian University
Taft Ave., Manila
Contact Person: c/o PhilNITS
Tel: (02) 898-2691 to 92, 0910-219-8335
URL: www.philnits.org, www.jitse.org

Baguio:
University of Baguio
Gen. Luna Road, Baguio City
Contact Person: Ms. Ellen Halover
Dean, IT Department
Tel: (074) 442-4915 loc. 175 , (074) 442-3071

Bohol-Tagbilaran:
Holy Name University
Tagbilaran City
Contact Person: Ms. Rosarie Caballo
(038)411-3764 loc 401
0917-8932643

Cagayan de Oro:
Capitol University
College of Computer Studies
Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City
Contact Person: Ms. Christine Sevilla
Officer in charge
Tel: (08822) 726136 loc 226/270
Fax: (0882) 714341

Cebu:
University of San Carlos
Talamban Campus, Cebu City
Contact Person: Ms. Marian Sionzon
Tel: (032) 253-1000 loc. 155, 0917-914-4439

Davao:
University of Immaculate Conception
Davao Central, Davao City
c/o PhilNITS Davao Office
Contact Person ms. Joy Alferez (PhilNITS Davao)
DTI Region XI, 5th Floor, Minitrade Bldg.
Sales Cor Monteverde St. Davao City
Tel 082-2221625 / 0922-8148985

Naga:
Ateneo de Naga University
Ateneo Avenue, 4400 Naga city
Contact Person: Dr Allan Sioson, Dean College of Comp Studies
Tel: 054-4722369

Zamboanga:
Ateneo de Zamboanga University
La Purisima St., Zamboanga City
Contact Person: Ms. Catherine Macrohon
Computer Science Department
Tel: (062) 9910871 loc 2280

PhilNITS the Organization

(This is just a summary I made. The complete information and details can be found at the PhilNITS website : http://www.philnits.org/)

Vision
* To attain excellence in IT through the development of Certified IT Professionals adhering to recognized world standards
* To accelerate economic development through the massive deployment here and abroad of our highly trained knowledge workers

Goals
* To establish an internationally recognized and accepted standard with which to measure the competency level of IT Engineers/Professionals in the country
* To develop a workforce of Certified IT Professionals that are qualified and eligible for work not only in Japanese companies here and abroad but also in multinational/national companies anywhere in the world

Overview
The Philippine National IT Standards (PhilNITS) Foundation is a non-stock, non-profit, non-government organization that is implementing a certification program for Philippine IT Engineers. The certification program was adapted from the Japan Information Technology Engineers Examination Center (JITEC) of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan. (please check out my previous post “Overview of the PhilNITS Certification” for more information about the certification programs)

It changed its name from JITSE Phil Foundation to avoid the misconception that it is implemented only for the Japanese market. Upon close examination and evaluation by the Bureau of Product Standards of the Dept. of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the National Computer Center (NCC), it was found that the JITSE (now PhilNITS) standard is equivalent to the European and American standard on the Fundamentals of IT. Now it is already recognized as a Philippine national standard (PNS 2030:2003) for skills of IT engineers, and also for Civil Service Eligibility. It is also recognized amongst several Asian countries (China, India, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Mongolia) as part of the Information Technology Professional Examination Council (ITPEC) (click here to read more about ITPEC). A PhilNITS certification is also your passport to working in the prestigious Japanese IT industry.

People
PhilNITS Foundation is led by the passionate and able leadership of :
(President) Ma. Corazon M. Akol
(Vice President – Finance) Shinichiro Kato
(Vice President – Operations) Peter D. Que Jr.

Offices
Currently, it has three offices strategically located at Manila, Cebu and Davao. These offices serve as both logistical centers and training centers of PhilNITS :

Manila Office
3rd Floor, OPPEN Building, 349 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City
Tel: (632) 898-2691 to 92 Fax: (632) 898-2694

Cebu Office
DTI Region 7, WDC Building, Osmena Blvd., Cebu City
Tel/Fax: (6332) 254-0577

Davao Office
DTI Region XI, 5th Floor Mintrade Building, Sales cor. Monteverde St., Davao City
Tel/Fax: (6382) 227-9448

Related Organizations
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Philippines
DTI has been supportive of PhilNITS from the start. It currently provides all three offices at Makati, Cebu and Davao. It continuously helps promote the adoption of the PhilNITS standard nationwide. DTI has also been conducting training programs for SMEs in the offices of PhilNITS.

Information-Technology Promotion Agency, Japan (IPA)
The IT Engineer Examination (ITEE) is the basis of the PhilNITS examinations. It has been implemented in Japan since 1969, and is currently being administered by the Japan IT Engineers Examination Council (JITEC) of IPA.
JITEC continuously supports PhilNITS by providing technical assistance by way of providing textbooks and other training materials, training on examination formulation, guidance on the foundation’s operation, and sponsorship of meetings with other Asian exam counterparts in Japan.

Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
JETRO has been giving technical assistance to PhilNITS under METI’s (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan) Asia IT Initiative Program. JETRO has deployed some of its IT industry experts to personally support the operation of PhilNITS, and supplied the equipment in all three offices (and training center) of PhilNITS. It has been promoting PhilNITS thru participation in various exhibits nationwide. It also helps promote human resource development with its sponsorships of several training programs all throughout the Philippines. JETRO is also responsible for providing the English versions of the exam handbooks currently being used in several training seminars of PhilNITS.

The Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS)
AOTS has provided scholars from PhilNITS several advanced IT training courses like the Bridge Systems Engineering Course (PHBR) and Software Design and Development Course (SWIT) which were conducted in Japan, and the Trainor’s Training on the Fundamentals of IT (FEIT) conducted in the Philippines. AOTS has also provided free Japanese Language courses both locally and in Japan.

Center of the International Cooperation for Computerization (CICC)
CICC, with a grant from the Japan Keirin Association, provided the e-Learning System of PhilNITS, consisting of two servers and four terminals, together with the appropriate and necessary software. It can be accessed 24/7 by subscribers to help prepare them in passing the PhilNITS exams.

IT Professional Examination Council (ITPEC)
The ITPEC is composed of organizations in several Asian countries, which are implementing the JITEC-IPA’s Examination Skill Standard. Member countries as of now include Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines (through the PhilNITS Foundation). The council facilitates consistency in the implementation of the exams, especially in schedule and the formulation of exam questions. ITPEC also helps promote public recognition and promotion of the examination especially throughout Asia.
The PhilNITS Society is composed of IT professionals and students who have successfully passed any of the PhilNITS certification exams. It also provides the member of the Board of Examiners, who is responsible for formulating and submitting candidate exam questions to ITPEC. The society also provides lecturers for courses/seminars related to PhilNITS.

Overview of the PhilNITS Certification

Philippine National IT Standards (PhilNITS) is an organization that implements a nationwide certification program on IT. Currently it is already implementing two levels of certifications (see illustrated exam categories below), the Fundamental Engineer (FE) and the Software Design and Development Engineer (SW), which represents the entry-level qualifications should you wish to become an IT Engineer (you may refer to this earlier post, IT Engineer Career Path, for additional information)

IT Engineer's Examination Categories

The Philippine school system offers several IT related courses (e.g Computer Engineering, Computer Science, IT, etc.), but no consolidated and standard examination that measures if their graduates has reached a required level of knowledge on basic IT principles, skills and technology. But other professionals, e.g. lawyers, nurses, engineers, teachers, doctors, etc., are required to first pass such kind of standardized examination. Having such an exam can be challenging (sometimes even scary) to some, but I believe it would be both advantageous and progressive for most.

If we have such a standard, recognized leaders in the IT industry and the academe can sit together and define, review and continuously improve what would become the benchmark for anyone who wishes to work as an IT engineer. Such standard would also provide schools with an objective basis of the effectiveness of their curriculum. As a step further, if such standard is globally recognized, it will boost the overall competitiveness and attractiveness of our IT Engineers.

PhilNITS is not yet a “bar exam”, so to speak, for IT graduates. But it is already recognized as a Philippine national standard (PNS 2030:2003) for skills of IT engineers, and also for Civil Service Eligibility. It is already recognized amongst several Asian countries (China, India, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Mongolia) as part of the of the Information Technology Professional Examination Council (ITPEC) (click here to read more about ITPEC). A PhilNITS certification is also your passport to working in the prestigious Japanese IT industry.

Even for an experienced IT professional, the broad coverage of the PhilNITS exam can be overwhelming, making the exam very challenging to pass. Aside from requiring knowledge on the wide-ranging fundamental concepts of IT, it also requires practical knowledge and skills on designing, programming and testing. A more detailed and technical discussion will be done in a future blog entry, but suffice to say for now that the concepts, skills and technology covered in the exam is comparable to a regular four year Bachelor of Science in Computer Science course.

There is no age limit and no particular level of educational attainment required to take the PhilNITS exam. Anybody who has interest in IT can challenge the PhilNITS certification. And as a vendor-neutral (not proprietary to any vendor such as Microsoft, CISCO, etc.) certification, PhilNITS is an advantage regardless of whether you plan to work for popular companies like Microsoft, IBM, CISCO, etc., or to work on an open source or non-proprietary systems.

People are taking the PhilNITS exam for a variety of reasons. Listed here are just some of the more popular ones :
1. To prove one’s competency in the field of IT
2. To secure a good paying job
3. For IT knowledge and skill measurement and improvement
4. For career advancement or promotion
5. To facilitate application for a working visa to Japan
6. Preferential treatment in job applications to local Japanese companies
7. Priority in availing of training scholarships like AOTS, CICC, etc.

It Pays to Get Certified

In the highly competitive world of IT, it pays to get certified. Certifications are used to confirm that a particular individual has reached an essential level of knowledge or competency. Having the right certification opens up opportunities towards better employment and career opportunities.

A college diploma is one example of a certification (academic). Getting a diploma certifies that the holder has met all requirements for his/her chosen field of specialization. Let’s say for example, in the field of IT, having a diploma in Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering (BS-CoE) indicates that the holder has undergone a (typically) five-year college education program that utilizes a curriculum that was deemed appropriate by our government’s department of education.

Although in general the BS-CoE curriculum is common for all schools, there are certain parts of the curriculum that some schools (those with “independent” status) have the prerogative to modify as they see best. Also, each school will have their own way of implementation, some more effective than the others. It gets more complicated when we take into consideration the global scene, wherein our BS-CoE curriculum may or may not be similar with that of other schools in other countries.

In such a scenario, there is a need to have a standard that is commonly recognized and implemented nationally, and to a certain degree internationally. That is one area where certifications are highly beneficial. Let’s say for example you passed a particular Microsoft Certification Program (MCP). Your MCP certification is valid and will be recognized as a stamp of competence wherever you choose to use it locally or even internationally. So in a way, certification provides for a commonly recognized standard of measure in the otherwise diverse field of IT education.

But having a MCP certification may not do you much good should you happen to work in an organization inclined more towards open source than Microsoft’s proprietary technologies. A Java certification will be more appropriate in such a scenario. But what if the organization does not utilize Java in their development also? But that is the reality of certifications. You have to focus on getting the certification that is most appropriate for your particular purpose, and you should get those that will most likely be recognized by your target audience.

Certifications tied up to a particular vendor or brand, such as MCP, Cisco certification, etc., are called vendor-specific (or vendor-developed) certifications. If you are utilizing the products of such vendors, having their particular certification is most advantageous. A second type of certification is the national (country-developed) certification. An example of a national certification is the “bar exam” for those who wish to become lawyers. Passing such certification legally gives you the rights and privileges to practice the law profession.

A third type of certification is the vendor-neutral certification. As the name implies, such certifications are not tied-up to a particular vendor. Usually they indicate compliance to a defined level of skill, knowledge or process. To gain recognition, such certifications are either developed or reviewed by leaders/experts of their respective fields. An example of such certification is the PhilNITS certification. Having such certification implies that the person has the essential knowledge level of the fundamental concepts of IT, and the fundamental skills to design, develop and test software programs. The PhilNITS certification was designed by Japan’s IT experts and leaders, and is well recognized in Japan and several Asian countries already.

Listed below are just a few potential benefits of certifications. They offer a wide range of benefits, not only to the holder of the certificate, but also to the community (or school, group, company, etc.) as well, wherein their benefits are multiplied several-folds :

Skill Development and Improvement
This is one of the most notable benefits of certifications. Skill related certifications are generally created or reviewed by experts and industry leaders, and attaining them means you have met the essential skill level. It is as if getting personally reviewed and audited by several experts. Even for those who have tried but did not pass the certification, the simple act of working on improving oneself to the level required for the certification consequently results in an improvement of one’s skill.

Appreciation and Recognition
Having the right certificate can give you that fitting recognition you deserve, whether you are looking for a job, seeking a promotion, building or improving a business relationship, or simply just wanting to showcase your competency and competitiveness. For example, having a PhilNITS-FE certification results brings about recognition as a competent IT engineer, with a solid foundation of IT concepts and programming skills.

Balanced Skill and Knowledge
In the process of preparing for a certification, the coverage of the certification exam is usually broken down into several categories to better manage reviewing for them. By knowing your performance on each of the categories, you can identify which areas you are strong and weak at. By focusing on your weak areas to improve them, it will result to a more balanced skill.

Standardized and Objective Measure of Skills
As mentioned earlier in this blog entry, schools differ in the effectiveness level of their education. And although most are claiming as being the best in a particular field, without a standardized measurement, it is impossible to objectively measure their respective performances. Having a common certification provides for a common measure and also a structure to which the school curriculum can base on. For companies on the other hand, it helps simplify recruiting and hiring of new engineers.

Education vs. Training

The title may suggest emphasizing the difference between education and training. But the difference discussed here is not so much in their goals of leading someone towards learning, but more on their respective approaches in achieving it.

In my analogy, education (used in the context of learning in school) can be likened to “pushing”, wherein the basics and fundamentals are provided to the students in order for them to learn. Imagine teaching someone how to swim for the first time. You first provide the basic skills that need to be learned, and then guide the student while he/she is trying out what he/she learned from you.

On the other hand, training (used in the context of career related trainings) can be likened to “pulling”, wherein the goals are set and it is up to the trainee to achieve those goals. The trainee is the one to decide which of his/her skills to use, and learns by himself/herself any other skills necessary. Imagine this time training someone to compete in swimming. Usually you set a target time to achieve, and have your swimmer practice and train until he/she can beat the set time.

The main point of difference between education and training as described above pertains to the degree of responsibility by both the giver (e.g. teacher, trainer, etc.) and the recipient (e.g. student, trainee, etc.) to achieve the desired learning for the recipient. It is my observation that the more you go up the ladder of education (schooling), the responsibility of the teacher to provide you with instructions decreases, while your responsibility to learn by yourself increases. And when you graduate and enter the professional world, it becomes mainly your responsibility to continue learning.

Some companies are generous enough to provide trainings, specially the advanced and higher level ones, to their employees. Also, trainings may be provided for “specialized” skills, especially those that are required by a particular project or customer, but may or may not be so valuable for other projects and customers. But as an advice, when working in this highly competitive world of IT, always keep in mind that the responsibility to learn new skills generally lies with you. And if ever trainings are provided to you (specially the free ones), be thankful and be appreciative of them.

Trainability and Adaptability

In the ultra-fast evolving world of IT, being adaptable and trainable is essential for survival. How fast you can learn and adapt to new technologies is oftentimes more important than your current set of skills. You may excel in what you do now, but if you cannot adjust to the changes, you will be left behind.

This is also what the IT companies are looking for in their search for prospective IT engineers. It is a common observation in the IT industry that there is a big mismatch with regards to the skills required by the IT companies and the skills learned/developed in school. Your academic and scholastic performance is valuable and will help you get their attention, but in the early days of employment, people who show trainability and commitment to learning new skills are the ones who will stand out.

As illustrated below, employee X initially entered the company with a more impressive skill set than employee Y. But after only 3 months, employee Y has surpassed the skills of employee X. There might be a lot of factors why this happened, but assuming all factors (training, projects, location, etc.) are the same for both employees, employee Y seems to be more adaptive and trainable and is showing the greater potential.

Using conventional recruitment methods (resume, entrance exams, interviews, etc.) it is very hard to measure a person’s trainability. Experienced managers and HR personnel might be able to identify these during their recruitment process, but it would be advantageous for the applicant if he/she can narrate past instances wherein he/she showed an ability to quickly learn and adapt, specially in relation to technical skills.

During your career as an IT professional, trainings will play a big part of your growth. But as valuable as the company initiated and company provided trainings, self-study and personally initiated trainings and research will be a big factor to how fast your growth and promotion will be.

IT Engineer Career Path

Should you wish to become an IT Engineer, the career you will choose will most likely fall in any of these three major areas : 1) Auditor side; 2) User side; 3) Development and Operation side. On this article, I will focus mainly on the latter, the “Development and Operation side”, wherein I have personal experience working on.

* based on the Japan Information-Technology Engineers Examination Center (JITEC) examination categories (http://www.jitec.jp/2_01english/02examcategories.html)

As illustrated above, the Development and Operation side is composed of different fields of specializations. The entry level would be the Fundamental IT Engineer (Programmer). As an IT Engineer, typically you will have to start as a programmer, then work your way up to become a Software Design & Development Engineer (SE), then choose amongst the higher-level fields of specialization (e.g. Project Manager, Embedded Systems Engineer, etc.).

It is a common misconception that a programmer is somebody who only does coding of programs, but in reality, a programmer is expected to have skills in designing, coding and testing, plus a some fundamental business skills (communication, leadership, teamwork, etc.). On the average, it takes around two to five years of experience as a programmer before you can become an SE, and around five to ten years before you become a Project Manager (or the other higher-level fields of specialization).

Here is a short description of each of the fields of specialization for the Development and Operation side (as taken from http://www.jitec.jp/2_01english/02examcategories.html) :

Fundamental IT Engineer (Programmer)
Individuals who have basic knowledge and skills related to general aspects of information technology, including those who compose program design sheets, construct programs, and conduct a series of operations to the extent of unit tests in information systems development projects.

Software Design & Development Engineer (SE)
Individuals who compose internal design and program design sheets, construct effective programs for information systems development projects, and perform a series of processes ranging from unit tests to integrated tests.

Systems Analyst
Individuals who plan information strategies based on management strategies. Develop overall system plans and individual systems, support information system development projects from the planners’ standpoint, and evaluate the results of such activities.

Project Manager
Individuals who are responsible information systems development projects. Ensure smooth operation of projects by developing project plans, procuring necessary resources for project implmentation such as personnel and materials, and managing budget, delivery schedules, and quality.

Application Systems Engineer
Individuals who perform a series of processes in information system development projects raging from work requirements analysis to system design, program development and test operations in accordance with project plans.

Technical Engineers
Individuals who perform core functions in the construction and operation of information systems infrastructures and support development and installation operations as specialized engineers in individual information systems development projects.
Specific knowledge includes that related to networks, databases, systemsmanagement, embedded systems (including knowledge on microprocessors and system LSIs) and information security technology.

Careers in IT

Upon graduation from high school, and prior to choosing what course to take up in college, it is best to consider which career you plan to go into after college. In the field of IT, you can choose from a variety of careers that will suit your skills, interests and needs.

I listed below a few of your possible career opportunities in IT. Please note that the description that follows each are based on my personal understanding and observations only, and might contain a few subjective comments here and there. Should you want, the Internet may provide a more detailed and more descriptive information for each.

Software Developer / Programmer
Mainly you will be responsible for designing, coding and testing software applications and programs. Here are some examples of application and programs that you might find yourself developing :
a) online banking and purchasing system (e.g. e-Bay, Citibank online, etc.)
b) email and chat programs (e.g. Yahoo Messenger, Gmail, etc.)
c) social networking applications (e.g. Friendster, etc.)
d) point of sales or POS (the most visible part is the one you see at the cashier’s monitor when you pay for your groceries, at fast foods, etc.)
e) embedded systems (programs that control your printer, mobile phone, digital camera, etc.)
There is a lot of room for growth and advancement in this type of career. Aside from the ever-improving technologies you will be encountering, you can also advance to become a systems’ engineer (SE) or a project manager (PM) later in your career.
This blog, although speaking about IT careers in general, will mainly focus on this type of career.

Animation and Game Developer
This is one of the most exciting fields in IT, thanks in part to animated movies (e.g. Nemo, Matrix, etc.) and popular internet and computer games (e.g. Ragnarok, Counter Strike, etc.). If you fancy yourself designing and creating characters for animation, or developing storylines and strategies for games, this might be the career for you. It would be a big advantage if you have a high level of creativity and imagination, and have good skills in sketching and drawing (although there are lots of tools available to help with this).

CAD Engineering
Some architects still use primarily paper-based designs, but the most demanding and modern of buildings and infrastructures would not have been possible without the aid of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Engineering softwares. Imagine yourself designing the newest car models, buildings and skyscrapers, airports, bridges, etc., and even seeing how they would look like and testing their structural integrity way before they are built. It will be an advantage if you have skills and interests towards architecture and designing.

Network Engineers
The Internet will not be possible without the worldwide inter-connection of computers and servers. And basically most companies, organizations, Internet cafes, and even homes have their computers connected in a network. Network engineers are the ones who know best how to configure, setup and make those networks work. Network engineers are responsible not only for the physical connections of the computers, but also the OS and software configurations to make the interconnection work as intended.

Technical Support Engineers
With computers as commonplace as a TV sets now, there are lots of opportunities for people who have skills in troubleshooting, upgrading and servicing them. With the millions of computers in organizations, schools, and homes it is bound to happen that those will need servicing just like any other consumer appliance. Do you see yourself taking apart laptops, desktop computers and other computer related gadgets to see how they work, how to improve them, or how to fix them if broken? If so, then this can be a fulfilling job for you.

I am listing here a few more :
Call Center Agents
Medical Transcriptionist
Database Administrator
Systems Administrator
Systems Analyst
Quality Assurance (QA) / Test Engineer

I plan to write about these in my future blogs, so please do watch out for them…

Realizing a Dream…

With the help of IT, I can now start realizing one of my dreams… that is to teach and share what I have learned and experienced thus far. I have always had the passion for teaching. I actually look at it as “sharing”. Isn’t it wonderful how sharing takes away nothing from you, and yet gives so much benefit to others whom you share with?

I often say that I may not be the best or the brightest in the areas I am sharing my skills or knowledge about, but with the insights and experiences I have gained thus far there just might be something useful others can learn from me. Some of the most important experiences I will be sharing may not not even be mine. Experience is a wonderful thing, as even if we can only “physically” experience so much in our relatively short life, we can nevertheless accumulate an unlimited number of “virtual” experiences as we listen to the experiences (stories) of others.

I also love trying to imagine and placing myself in other’s shoes, to see things as they do, and to understand as they would. This helps me understand better when listening to other people. But it also helps me when I am the one doing the talking/explaining. Seeing it from my audience’ point of view makes it easier to explain in ways they would best and most easily understand. I guess that is why there are times I can help people more easily understand things that I myself have just recently learned. And it is such a rewarding experience. It is what made me think that teaching might just be for me.

And even though financially, geographically and time-wise it is hard to reach and to teach others, blogging has provided me with a venue to start realizing that dream. So while struggling to provide financially for my family, and spend quality time with them, somehow I will find the time to do my “sharing”.

My PhilNITS Story

Back in 2002, I took up the challenge of taking the PhilNITS exam. Interestingly, my second take (Sept 2003) was while visiting Davao with my then future-wife, and it unexpectedly gave me the distinction of being the first passer of Davao. Davao has since produced four more passers, and if we include my wife (she passed the exam in Manila), we are now a happy group of six.

My purpose for challenging the exam was a combination of both personal pride and for motivational purposes. In my first take of the exam, I was still working in the Quality Assurance department of our company, and I took it upon myself to represent our team, and to prove our team’s competency in the fundamentals of IT. I was full of pride when I took it, but unfortunately I failed. But at least I can say I tried (hehehe).

On my second try, I was already leading our team’s training center, responsible for molding new-hires into competent and capable IT professionals in a relatively short span of time. We expected a lot from our trainees, including learning the Japanese language, the latest technologies, professional business skills, and passing the PhilNITS exam. I thought the least that I can do was to set an example to them, so I challenged the PhilNITS exam again. I wanted to show them that even a relatively obsolete (I graduated from college almost a decade before) guy like me still has what it takes to pass an exam that gauges your fundamental knowledge and skills on the very fast changing world of IT. This time I was fortunate to pass. Alas, my trainees have no more excuse not to pass also.

I would love to share these things with you...

I am just an average Filipino IT enthusiast. I do not own my own company (not yet at least, hehehe). I am not an executive. I am not even a "somebody" in our small IT community here in Davao city. But even so, I believe that in my own small ways there are things I can share that you can benefit from. I have a heart for IT. I have a passion for teaching (more on "sharing" actually). I may not be the visionary leader type that can organize and mobilize people and communities towards a fruitful cause or a profitable venture, but I am confident that there are ideas I can contribute, and that I can make a difference.

In this blog, I would like to share with you the following :

Stories
I like stories. In our relatively short lifetime, it is impossible to experience everything. But with stories shared to us, we can imagine... and experience much more than we (in reality) can. I'll share with you stories of success, to inspire you to achieve the same or even better. I'll share with you stories of failures and difficulties, to help you learn from them. Another good thing about stories is that even though they may not be your own, you may pass them to others and share.

PhilNITS
Some of you may be familiar with it, some may not even have heard of it. But you will see a lot of the Philippine National IT Standard (PhilNITS) in this blog, simply because I believe in it, how it can help us lift our IT knowledge and skill standards, and how it can help showcase the Filipino IT capability. Maybe I might even share how you can pass the exam :)

Ideas
I have my "notebook of ideas". Actually it should be "notebooks of ideas", because I have compiled about three of them already. They still do not include the ideas I have written on countless small pieces of paper, and even saved in my mobile phone's "not sent" box. If not particularly useful for you, at least I hope some might be an interesting read.

Davao
When I first visited Davao, I came to love the place and its people (I am now married to a beautiful Dabawena). Davao is the place I will raise my kids in. I also used to give training to the best graduates of the top IT schools in the Philippines, including those from Baguio, Manila, Cebu and Davao. Amongst my trainees, I can personally attest that graduates from Davao are one of the brightest, and that they have the best personality you’d love to work with. I have since taken it as my personal mission to promote Davao in the field of IT.

Japan
I would love to share with you my experiences and observations during my visits to Japan. Some might not even be about IT (e.g. Nihongo, culture, etc.), but I will try to keep them as interesting as possible. I'd love to share with you my experiences in other countries as well, but so far other than the Philippines, I have only been to Japan :)

and many more...
articles, news, updates, events, insights, etc.

A Bright Future in IT

A Bright Future in IT (FIT)

I wanted to set up this blog to personally share with you my feelings, thoughts, knowledge and experiences in the field of Information Technology, and how you, we, can have "a bright Future in IT."

I am Loy, from Davao City, Philippines. I have worked with a Japanese IT company for more than 12 years. In my experiences here and in Japan, I see fellow Filipinos determined to secure a better future for themselves and their families. And I have come to see that IT can help bring about a brighter future for us all... IT professionals with a very rewarding employment; students gaining more advanced learnings; teachers being able to reach out to more students; businesses growing and becoming more profitable; and communities living more comfortably.

IT is one field we Filipinos can excel in. Specially in IT, we Filipinos can be at par or even better than our foreign counterparts. I experienced this first hand in my workings with Americans, Japanese, Indians, Chinese and other nationals at IBM Japan. It is said that when it comes to skills, Filipinos are easily trainable and adaptable. This advantage is emphasized more in the field of IT where we can prove our "intellectual" and "creative" skills.

In the globally competitive world of IT, how can we prove our competency? The best way is simply to show it. For us working in the field of IT, excellence in our everyday work is the best showcase of our capability. Another way is to measure our competency, using a globally recognized IT skills standard/certification, such as the Philippine National IT Standard (PhilNITS) certification exam. PhilNITS coverage is very broad, covering IT fundamentals that are the same wherever country you may choose to work in. PhilNITS is the kind of tool we need to be able to objectively, and proudly, delcare that we Filipinos can indeed excel in IT.

To claim our future in IT, we all have to do our part... LEARN as much as we can; EXCEL in whatever we engage ourselves into; SHARE to others what you have learned and experience; PROVE our competency using PhilNITS as a tool; PROMOTE our country as a good destination for IT businesses; and INSPIRE others to do the same.