Graduates from the Carnegie Mellon|Portugal Program find themselves better prepared for the technical professions
Graduates of the Carnegie Mellon|Portugal Program are finding themselves better equipped for positions in the professional world due to the rigorous education, collaboration, and research experience. “The program helped me to have contact with different realities and to test my capacity to its maximum,” says Inês Freitas Oliveira, alumna of the Aveiro MS in Information Networking (MSIN). “Value has been created to my employer as new skills, strengths, and networking opportunities have been generated.”
Ana Rita Rodrigues, alumna of the Masters in Software Engineering Program, says that she was drawn to the program by its technical and professional focus and international environment. She says that she found the Software Development Studio, a project the students complete in lieu of a thesis, was one of its most differentiating aspects. “The focus on processes and best practices went beyond my expectations,” says Rodrigues. “This and the opportunity to experiment and apply the knowledge acquired in the courses in the Studio were the most positive aspects of the program.”
Across the board, alumni agree that the program provides an enhanced education experience that combines the best elements of Carnegie Mellon and the partner institution. Fabio Ferreira, alumna of Aveiro MS in Information Networking (MSIN), says that the program has greatly improved his method and discipline. “It has provided me with an updated view of the current technologies with the level of excellence only obtained from one of the most important universities in the world,” he says.
A significant benefit that students find in the program is that their culminating projects are often directly applicable to the needs of their employers upon graduating. Ricardo Oliveira, an alumnus of the Lisbon MS in Information Technology – Information Security (MSIT-IS), completed research in operational optimization of security managed services in large corporate networks. Oliveira now works for Portugal Telecom, a corporate sponsor of the program, and says that his research experience has given him a leg up in the company.
“I am now more involved with the company’s information security strategy and also called upon to provide expert input on several critical projects, cooperating in the development of solutions for several security issues,” he says. “My thesis project that was specifically aimed at current needs, and is currently in the process of being deployed.” Ricardo Caetano, alumnus of Aveiro MS in Information Networking (MSIN), has also found that his experiences in the program have benefitted his career with Portugal Telecom. “With my Carnegie Mellon degree I have been placed in a more ‘core’ section of Portugal Telecom,” he says. “I’m currently at the planning and network deployment area of Portugal Telecom. I’m managing the deployment of IP networks related with the core and transport networks.”
Caetano says that he expects to combine the technical knowledge he has gained from the program with his increasing responsibilities within Portugal Telecom. Emanuel Mendonça Fernandes, alumnus of Coimbra MS in Human Computer Interaction (MHCI), also currently works for Portugal Telecom. Like Caetano, he credits his position in the company to his experiences in the program. “I joined because it was kind of an adventure,” he says, “and it seemed to like a great opportunity that I should not waste.”
