Industry Expert Interview

Introduction

    In my pursuit of an expert, I found myself struggling to connect, which was one roadblock I expected to encounter during my search. Oddly, I had an interview lined up, but he never showed, and other candidates didn't seem to share an interest, or perhaps simply did not have the time, to indulge an interview. However, while my brother isn't quite in the exact industry I hope to pursue, he is in STEM and can provide extremely valuable input for someone like me, who still has nearly no idea how to be considered. 

Name: Enrique Sandoval 

Position: System Engineer

Organization: NSS (Neeme Systems Solutions)

Summary

    After graduation, Mr. Sandoval participated in an internship, where he gained valuable knowledge and hands-on experience that led to his pursuit of what would become his current role as a System Engineer. To get here, he began researching local job listings, and he continued to apply with his professional resume readily available. Some of the challenges he faces in the industry involve the rapid and constant changes that often shift goals from their original vision. AI is the biggest and newest technology, though despite its influence, it is still in its infancy, and the required revisions, supervisions, and maintenance it requires secures Mr. Sandoval's current position for the foreseeable few years to come. In his current role, he is tasked with supporting the development of autonomous aircraft. For his field and keeping the current challenges he is encountering today, adaptability and the desire to learn are the most desirable abilities a person can bring into the industry. From his experience, he advises aspiring students to maintain a desire to take on new challenges, as the industry is always a learning curve that demands flexibility and curiosity. During his education, he didn't have a plan structured out to direct his way through his academic experience and relied heavily on his assertiveness and personal drive. For students interested in this particular field, he advises students not to settle for the first opportunity in fear that they may never receive another, and that, if he had the opportunity to speak with his younger self, he would advise himself to continue to pursue a position he can feel most aligned with to prevent burnout. 

Reflection and Future Steps

    After the interview, I realized that a lot of the restraints within my occupational and perhaps even personal pursuits lie in my own internal restrictions. I often feel I'm inadequate for the position and often struggle to identify what exactly would qualify me for a role. However, with continued growth and introspection driven by this program and personal perseverance, part of the initial challenge lies in one's own ability to assert oneself in areas where they wish to be seen.  This encourages me to continue making changes to my educational and occupational plans, including the recognition of successes throughout my journey that will apply as proven experience of the abilities I once thought I lacked. For instance, in participating in the NASA Space program, I discovered that I became more familiar on research techniques, how to work with Arduinos, established a connection between programming and engineering, experienced a leadership responsibility, and took on unexpected challenges; all of which would have been difficult to identify beforehand. With this knowledge, I intend to continue to apply myself in areas that encourage learning and the strengthening of present skills.