Javier Castillo Valcárcel y Edgar Jara Contreras are graduates of the specialty of Computer Engineering who visited our university to share their experiences in the MBA Program at the University of Michigan. They met with students of the School that are currently in the last semesters of their undergraduate programs, that were interested in how to pursue a Master’s degree abroad and get to work in the leading companies of the international market. Castillo has worked at Procter & Gamble and Molitalia, in positions ranging from Sales Representative to Trade Marketing Manager and, soon, he is going to be working for McKinsey & Company. On the other hand, Jara has been part of companeis such as Hyundai Peru, Belcorp and Isopetrol, in the area of Project Management; in July, he is going to start working for Amazon, in a rotational program of leadership in the city of Seattle.
How were your personal and academic experiences studying abroad?
Javier
The experience is quite interesting on a social level, since you get to learn from successful people from over 50 countries, with different backgrounds and ideologies. Being Peruvian was and advantage, because we were representing a minority in the class and everyone was interested in our country. American culture is slightly different from ours, so you have to adapt to that new environment while interacting with all the diversity in the class. Academically speaking, the program has a corporate and business perspective that turns every topic and every class into an actual business case.
Edgar
The Masters that I studied had around 140 international students, so the debates always had different points of view and that really enriched the conversation. Likewise, interacting with people that are so diverse definitely opens your mind, not only on an academic level, but also in your work context and as a person.
With regard to what I learned in the classrooms, the program enhanced many concepts that I handled only superficially at my work place and, in addition, it introduced me to new concepts in areas such as Marketing, Finance and Strategy Planning. By the way, the University of Michigan has excellent infrastructures and resources, and they made it easier to boost the learning of all these topics.
Lastly, a very important part of the program was the preparation to get a job. I was instructed in topics that range from how to rely my contacts to get job interviews, to getting prepared for interviews and negotiating offers.
How did you perceive the competitiveness and the exigence?
Javier
I think it depends on how you see exigence. Passing the courses there is not harder than at the School of Science and Engineering, but being the best is. The competence not only in in another language, but also against people that come from universities like Harvard and Stanford.
Edgar
I reckon that standing out in this program is very complicated, since many of the people that I studied with achieved amazing things in different fields, from sports to arts or literature, going, obviously, through the business fields as well. Therefore, considering the different language and all these talented people, exceling academically is a lot harder.
On the other hand, passing the courses of the School of Science and Engineering was a lot harder than passing the Masters courses. The School definitely has a very high level of exigence, and I think that, for that very reason, the graduates adapt easily to different academic situations.
What knowledge that you acquired during your undergraduate program do you consider the most important?
Javier
From my point of view, the rigor of the courses at PUCP enhances in students a mental structure that allows them to acquire knowledge and abilities in an easier way. In addition, the level of mathematics at the School of Science and Engineering is quite competitive and it is an advantage not only on an academic level, but also during interviews with the best corporations and firms of the world throughout the MBA.
Edgar
Problem solving is an ability that is in great demand by companies of different industries, from Consulting to Techonology. During my undergraduate program, I had to take many programming courses that helped me get started and structure complex problems that I would resolve easily afterwards.
On the other hand, the use and manipulation of the information gave me an advantage over many of my classmates, because, to me, it was a lot easier to process large amounts of information to get the insights that would help me solve all these different problems.
Which abilities learned at the School of Science and Engineering ended up being useful to your job?
Javier
The exigence in mathematics and programming allowed me to develop the analytical abilities that still make the difference nowadays. Even though the School’s curricula are good, I would recommend incorporating courses of project management and leadership. In these cases, I would try to put the focus on discussing cases and actual situations, as well as on working in teams. This might help link the classes to reality and get better job positions less time.
Edgar
The School taught me to learn, to interact with people building long-lasting relationships, and to act properly in challenging scenarios. The latter is what has helped me the most in my field, on a work level as well as on a personal level.
What would you never change or forget about the School of Science and Engineering?
Javier
The best years of my life were spent there. Academically, I would not change the level of exigence and I will never forget all the times I stayed up all night to finish all the work I had to do before heading to the laboratory. Socially, the Science and Engineering Week is an event that gave me the opportunity to meet more people that I thought I would, in addition to enhancing my leadership abilities by being the vice-president of the Association of Computer Engineering Students
I would not change the diversity of students, neither, because it gave a social sense to our experience and it showed us a holistic perspective about our country. Lastly, the PUCP made us more conscious about our surroundings, so we will be able to have a positive impact on our society in the upcoming years.
Edgar
Even though I share great moments with my friends in building V, something that I would never change is the Science and Engineering Week, since it is a good opportunity to deepen friendship bonds and to develop abilities that go beyond the academic context.