“No matter how hard you study, how good your academic performance is during your college life, hands-on practice is the only truth when you start your career.” The most important thing that it is by working in the profession, you have t learn what you don’t know and what you need to know.
Hao Xiong is now working for a small start up company as an electronics circuit design engineer, but his pathway to this position has not been straightforward, the path to be a professional engineer is always rugged. “I am vary happy that I returned to study as a postgraduate student at university again after one years’ working, this is one of my most important and rightest decision I have made till now,” Hao said. “As an electronics circuit design engineer working for a start up company at Silicon Valley today, I found that my experience of studying as a postgraduate student is very helpful.”
Hao Xiong undertook his undergraduate studies at Purdue University from 2010 to 2014. Hao was one of the top students during his undergraduate studies at Purdue University. During the four years’ studies, he won scholarships three times. Due to the highly used of automation and circuit design theories in the electronics companies nowadays, he chose to complete two research subjects relate to automation and circuit design. He also had hands-on experience to be a lab and teaching assistant for two semesters. He finally graduated from Purdue University as an honor student. He said that he learned a lot from Purdue University, especially the research projects and the experience to be a lab and teaching assistant are very helpful. The research projects are focused on applied industry products that he thought these are closer and relate to the future working area. The assistant experience practiced him a lot on working as a team and taught him how to be a good leader. Hao thought these would be very helpful for his future career.
After his graduation, he joined General Motor Corporation to work as a junior engineer focused electronics circuit design for only one year from 2014 to 2015. “I choose to work immediately after my graduation because I think I am not focused on research, I don’t think take coursework postgraduate will be helpful for my planned career and I think I am ready to be an ‘engineer’.” Hao said. He thought a big and strong competitive company with systematic induction training is a good choice to start his career, then he chose to work as a junior engineer at General Motor Corporation. After one year working as junior engineer, Hao said, “But the truth is I am wrong about my self-knowledge. Even I am doing very good at undergraduate studies, the junior engineer’s job makes me struggle and feel stress, and the challenge exceed my expectations.” He considered working as an engineer is similar to study at universities, but the truth is to be a good engineer is much more difficult and complicated than studying. The deepest impression of this one-year working experience he thought is a teamwork circuit design for vehicle cruise control. He had no problems on working as a team, but the personal task per each team members is very specific and the content is a lot. The learning form university isn’t enough for competent this job. He though the job is more professional than studying, the contents he has learned is too basic.
Hao gave up the good position in a large highly reputable engineering company, and chose to return to study as a postgraduate student at university again after one years’ working. He said: I can choose a specific area when I study as a postgraduate. He knew what he needs to focus on and what specific area to learn in order to be more capable as an electronics circuit design. In order to work in the profession, he returned to Purdue University and chose a master tutor who is focused on electronics circuit design. He has done more than 10 projects relate to electronics circuit design. All he projects has done is also relate to applied industry products. He has more experience and has become more professional about designing circuit after he has done these projects. “After my one-year experience, I know my career demands and the requirements of being a good electronics circuit design engineer. I return to study in order to be a master in my own specific field. ” Hao said.
After his graduation again, he embarked on the path that led to his planned future career as an electronics circuit design engineer on May 2017. This time he chose to work for a start up company. As his own thought, there will be more chance to be a leader and more opportunities to work with different people. “By the way, the fact is less salary from a small and start up company for now might be lending to a more bonus shares as the company grows up. I really enjoy the way we work very hard together and grow up together with our small company, it brings more challenge but also more interests.” Hao seated at his new offices at Silicon Valley and said. He is on his way pursuing the dream to be a master electronics circuit design engineer.
Changmeng Lin 