Last year I was chosen to participate in the Faculty Immersion Program of Smart Communications, Inc. Together with the faculty members in the ECE department - ECE Department Chairperson Engr. Elena Noriega and ECE faculty Engr. Myrna Nagma who were both assigned to SMART’s Data Traffic department, I was assigned and trained in the Prepaid Accounts department. SWEEP is an industry-academe partnership that seeks to help raise the level of engineering technology education in the country, particularly in the field of Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE). Since its launch in March 2003, other partnership with SWEEP schools in the academic field such as IT education and community service programs (Gawad Kalinga, disaster preparedness and training assistance to public schools through the Smart Schools Program) have emerged.
The SWEEP’s core program of initiatives are to wit: 1. Provision of a wireless laboratory that helps students and faculty members in partner schools study different aspects of cellular networks; 2. A continuing education program handled by SMART engineers and industry experts; 3. The SWEEP innovation and Excellence Awards; 4. SWEEP website; and 5. Recruitment of industry-ready graduates from SWEEP partner schools in Metro Manila (PUP, Ateneo, Adamson, FEATI, TUP, New Era and University of Makati).
Among the highlights of SWEEP Phase 1 is the annual SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards that recognize outstanding works in wireless applications development, where the 5th SWEEP Awards was held last March 2009. SMART has also started to involve SWEEP schools in other community service initiatives in the field of education, disaster preparedness, environment and community building. Engr. Julius Cansino, PUP’s former Computer Engineering chairperson, had assisted public high schools under the Smart Schools Program that provided the networking, cabling and installation of computers for Emilio Aguinaldo National High School in Imus Cavite, and Pacita Complex 1 National High School in Laguna.
In a simple contract-signing rites held at its Sta. Mesa campus, PUP became the first partner school in Metro Manila under SWEEP Phase 2. Coincidentally, it was also the first in all of Metro Manila to sign up for the initial Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP) back in 2003.
Truly, having this kind of linkages with the industry helps in bridging the gap and bringing a realistic understanding of the telecoms industry to the Professors and students’ skills set in an actual industry setting. PUP is on its way of achieving the university’s 10-point agenda towards becoming a ‘Total University’.
Good Luck to this year’s participants. May you gain first-hand experience and benefit from the knowledge that will be imparted during the conduct of the training.
