Stories of Excellence: Froduard Aquiatan
Mapúan Blueprint: Stories of Excellence
Q: Describe a turning point in your life or career that shaped who you are today.
When I first encountered this question, my mind would easily say that it was when I passed the REE board examination and became a Registered Electrical Engineer, but my heart says otherwise. Yes, it may be a turning point in my life, but not on my career just yet. Actually, after becoming a newly Registered Engineer was just a start of the turning point in my life or career and later on shaped me into who I am today. So, if I think back again and find where my mind and heart really aligns, it was when I got accepted to my dream company that made me inspired to pursue Electrical Engineering in the first place, Aboitiz Power.
That turning point in my life came when I started in Aboitiz Power, under Therma South Inc., as a Cadet Engineer. My cadetship journey was not a smooth sailing one, it came with many challenges, adversaries, and tough learning when it came to a point where my Mapuan values are being put to the test during last year’s scheduled outages of the plant. All my theoretical learnings were being put to the test as I applied those learnings in real-life situations and scenarios as I was being assigned under the Mechanical, Electrical, and Control & Instrumentation in the Maintenance Department. Not just technical learnings were applied, even my decision-making, troubleshooting skills, and ability to adapt to any situation were being challenged. My first experience in those planned outages really helped hone my rational and logical thinking whenever unexpected problems and circumstances occur. Through sheer effort and willpower, I eventually graduated in my cadetship program, and was recruited and promoted to the Engineering and Technical Services Team, currently working as an Electrical Associate Engineer.
My cadetship journey in Therma South Inc really shaped me into who I am today in my current role. Even tho I am currently working in a very technical team, with highly capable and technical people, I could say that my experiences during my cadetship helped me being able to adjust and adapt to my current role properly without any setbacks. Tho I still have so much to learn especially in my new role with a new team, I didn’t have to go through a rough start because of the experiences I gained when I started as a cadet.
I wouldn’t be able to get through the tough selection process for the cadetship program of Therma South Inc. without the core values that are instilled in me during my years in Mapua MCM. Aboitiz Power is a company that values excellence, relevance, and integrity in every work that they do. I’m thankful that the values that they’re looking for in an applicant are the values that stayed within me as being a product of Mapua MCM. I could say this with a humble heart, that the Mapua’s way of “Excellence and Relevance” greatly influenced my life and my career here in Aboitiz Power.
