Recent ECE alums share career knowledge, advice
Recent ECE alums share career knowledge, advice Heading link
Earlier this month, four ECE early career alumni joined the ECE 397 Senior Design II class to share their insights with students enrolled in the class. Among the wisdom they shared was to seek out internships, work on side projects, attend the Engineering Career Center’s (ECC) career fairs, and to network.
Jordan Siewe Tchokokam, EE ’23, is an assistant electrical engineer with Burns & McDonnell. He interned with the company the summer before his senior year and during his final undergraduate semester and began his current role immediately upon graduation.
Amreen Ali, EE ’22, is an electronics engineer with Leidos Holdings, Inc. She joined the company in 2023 after working as an engineer with Primera Engineers, a company where she held her first internship following her first year. She also had three internships with ComEd during her time as a UIC student.
Alexander Domagala, EE ’23, is an associate digital engineer with Northrop Grumman. He interned with the aerospace and defense company in 2022 and held an internship with CNH Industrial the previous summer. He is currently pursuing his MS in EE at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Shakiba Vahid Moghtada, EE ’21, was a distribution engineer with KDM Engineering. She is back at UIC pursuing her MS degree.
The panelists were asked how many companies they had applied to before landing their first role. Tchokokam and Domagala received offers from the companies where they interned, cutting short their job searches. Ali applied to a few dozen companies. Moghtada applied to hundreds of companies–as an international student she needed a company willing to sponsor her work visa.
All panelists agreed that the number one skill to develop outside of their degrees was communication.
“When I get a project, we may only have a vague idea of what we need to do,” Domagala said. “Collect questions and communicate with leads and domain experts, and make sure the requirements are concrete.”
The alumni were asked what advice they would give their freshman selves if they could go back in time. Applying to internships and developing personal projects were common refrains. Starting internships as early as possible can not only lead to job offers but can also provide insights into what specific area you may want to pursue, and as a result, what electives to take. Side projects can provide tangible proof of a passion and willingness to work hard and can make a job candidate stand out.
“I didn’t build enough connections when I was in school,” Moghtada said. “I suggest sending friend requests to other engineers, you can learn from them and possibly get referrals for job openings.”
Moghtada also laments that she delayed pursuing her MS degree immediately upon completing her BS.
“It was tough to return to school, and I forgot some of what I learned in undergraduate by then,” Moghtada said.
A challenge some of the alumni cited in their initial roles after graduation was the differences in standards and software used among various companies. Ali urged students to take notes to refer back as needed rather than asking the same question twice. Domagala cited the ambiguity that can come with being in a new role. Tchokokam reminded students that they will be in a much more competitive environment.
“You may be used to being a smart kid, but everyone is smart–you won’t be that useful in the beginning and that’s okay, they know you need to learn,” Tchokokam said.
The panelists stressed the value of attending ECC’s Career Fairs. Tchokokam returned to campus to attend a fair on behalf of his employer, and was seeking candidates who fit the culture of the company. Moghtada reminded students–especially international students–to apply early for jobs. Students needing work visas have just 90 days after graduation to land a position.
Clinical Associate Professor Renata Revelo, who organized the panel, plans to host additional panels in future semesters.