On 25th to 26th May 2023, the Asian Institute of Management’s (AIM) Career Services Office (CSO) launched 4SIGHT: Co-creating the Future Through Data, Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, an annual career fair for students and graduates of the Institute. With a particular focus on the data and technology sector, this year’s first career fair was designed to provide students and graduates from the Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology, & Entrepreneurship (ASITE) career prospects from prestigious companies in the industry.
Event participants gathered at the Aboitiz Tech Space for the fair’s opening ceremony. CSO Director, Lucille Jade Galvan welcomed the guests and thanked the employer-partners for their participation. She also thanked the faculty for helping students prepare their applications, and the students for their enthusiasm and support. Dir. Galvan emphasized that “It is not a one-time event, but a stepping stone towards the future success of our students.”
ASITE Head, Prof. Christopher Monterola, PhD, headlined the proceedings by delivering a snippet from his upcoming talk about disruptive technologies and how they impact innovation. According to Prof. Monterola, “Talking to people is awesome, but this is among the declining skills needed in the future. Talking to machines is now more critical.”
Meanwhile, the President and Country Managing Director of SAP Philippines Inc. and the event’s keynote speaker, Rudy Abrahams, said he believes humans will still be superior to computers and artificial intelligence in the coming years. He states, “Don’t underestimate how powerful your mind is on its own.” Furthermore, he elaborates that “Computers will come. Technology will evolve. Business models will be disrupted and recreated. But it starts with people and leadership.”
Booths from CIMB Bank Philippines Inc., Appficiency Inc., Samsung Electronics Phils. Corp., among many others, were set up at the Fuller Hall, greeting students and graduates. Over 60 delegates from 29 companies were present, prospectively interviewing students for important roles within their organizations. Between networking and prospecting sessions, event partners held talks about their industries. Among the speakers were representatives from P&A Grant Thornton, Appficiency Inc., AIA Digital +, and Cognizant.
The Aboitiz Chair in Data Science and Academic Program Director of the Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) program, Prof. Erika Fille Legara spoke about the power of insight and why companies need a data scientist in their organization. According to Prof. Legara, “As your company produces data and prediction is important to you, then data science and artificial intelligence is significant.” She then further explored the gaps organizations typically have regarding data and operations, and underlines that AIM is particularly adept at solving these gaps.
A series of Information Sessions, Networking Sessions, and On-Campus Recruitment took place during the two-day fair. Selected event partners and major sponsors, such as P&A Grant Thornton, Appficiency Inc, AIA Digital+, Cognizant, MSCI Hong Kong Limited, SM Supermalls, and Aboitiz Data Innovation shared how their respective companies were adapting to the constant changes that data, innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship were bringing about today.
Full-blown information sessions by Prof. Legara and Prof. Monterola were offered on the second day. In “The Power of Insight: Why Your Company Needs a Data Scientist”, Prof. Legara shared the advantages of AIM’s Master of Science in Data Science degree program by highlighting the value of data science in helping companies craft informed business decisions. For Prof. Monterola’s information session entitled “Disruptive Technologies: Anticipating Impact on Markets and Companies”, he exposed the realities of AI and how it constantly creates waves in innovation, providing examples and demonstrations.
Opportunities provided to both company partners and students during the successful event fostered valuable connections among participants, facilitated initial interviews of students by event partners, and provided a call to action to fulfill the career fair’s goal “to co-create the future through data, innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship”.