Technical Manager Highlights Importance of Dedication, Commitment to Excellence
HIMEX Corporation marks a special career milestone for Engineer Jude Santos, as he celebrates his 25th year of service in the company.
Engr. Jude toasts his journey with Himex then and now, as he shares the sense of honor that the company has showcased with its long-term employees, as well as its commitment and dedication to delivering excellent quality of service for its clients. He also imparts his words of advice to young and future engineers, especially imaging equipment engineers and technical specialists, as he reflects on his journey of growth and diligence with the company.
Engr. Jude narrates how he has personally witnessed the company showcasing its mission of contributing to the medical imaging needs of the Filipino community, and in demonstrating the best of healthcare equipment solutions, in customizing sales support with efficient and reliable technical service, and delivering individualized equipment applications training.
Engr. Jude recounts how Himex supplied and installed the first MRI units in the country, introducing revolutionary, compact and mobile ultrasound systems, which have proven to be very popular with end-users due to their high-quality performance and durability. In addition, Engr. Jude said Himex was also able to introduce the first ever commercially available ultrasound platform with real-time elastography, paving the way to becoming a preferred and popular method of breast cancer diagnosis.
Career of Imaging Engineers
Engr. Jude also gives his advice on new and upcoming engineers, in how they can showcase their craft in installing, maintaining and calibrating diagnostic imaging equipment such as X-ray and ultrasound machines, MRI and CT-scan equipment, among others.
Regarding his early days and what his most memorable experiences and insights were throughout the decades, Engr. Jude said. “Well, my story with Himex began with a supposed interview for a telecom company. Instead, I went to this Himex interview after they called me first. I remember on my first day, I had to fix a C-arm and X-ray (machines). In my entire days in school, I have not even seen one, and I felt the pressure already. I may say one of the most memorable experiences is when I was in a foreign country for technical training, wherein I felt a sense of belongingness.”
Considering his long tenure at Himex, he reveals the specific event in his career that has had the greatest impact and influence in his professional life: his participation in the training for Hitachi Training Academy (HTA). “The feeling of respect and dedication in performing any task is something I would consider as a way of influencing others, too,” Engr. Jude said.
He said engineering then was just his secondary option, as he had dreamt of becoming a “PMAer,” or a member of the Philippine Military Academy, with the aim of serving and defending the country. Aside from nursing and physical therapy, electronics and communications engineering (ECE) as a college course was already trending in the early 1990s, requiring volumes of dedicated talents for the ECE-focused workforce, he says.
Trends and Challenges
When it comes to the challenges he has worked on, and how he was able to overcome these obstacles, Engr. Jude said the most challenging projects happened during the Covid-19 pandemic beginning in early 2020 to the entire 2021. “Suddenly, we had to do everything on our own for magnet installation, even if we haven’t done any formal training,” Engr. Jude added. “The courage and determination to complete the job had to come first.”
With the rapidly evolving engineering industry, Engr. Jude reveals the thing that excites him the most – the possibility of superconducting technology soon becoming reasonably affordable for enthusiasts in the future. “In our chosen field, truly technologies went so fast in evolving,” Engr. Jude emphasized. “Being part of a backbone for flexible infrastructure, we did have an ECE Law (R.A.9292, or ECE Act of 2004) to cope with the technology and stay connected, by having annual conventions for our profession and chapter seminars.”
When asked what advice he could give and share to young engineers or those looking to enter the field of imaging engineering, Engr. Jude said: “Focus on your chosen engineering field and do your best. Basically, it reflects on your academic performance.”
Motivations and Measurements
So how do managers like him motivate members of a team, as they continue to stay hungry and passionate, be ambitious and pursue their career at Himex, and how excited should they be in working with Himex imaging machines? Engr. Jude said the approach in dealing with young people would be to level with each team member in ironing out and measuring whatever kinks there could be in organizational communication flows. “That way, you understand each language and situation, and know where you can start with something. All systems must be workable, and if you belong in this field, you can find every modality interesting,” Engr. Jude said.
For a dedicated professional, success can be complex and multifaceted. Engr. Jude shares his perspective on this: “For me, success is unfathomable. Some tasks can be accomplished efficiently and successfully, but the desire for more often lingers longer. It’s important to recognize that every hurdle is a success in its own right, whether it’s fighting for something or simply moving forward. True success is felt when you reach a point where you want to share your skills and help others.” He adds: “Among some of the exciting things in my career now being a manager, it would be seeing to it that your team is working well, something that ignites the excitement after a hard working day.”
When asked about his main interests unrelated to or outside of work, and how he balances hobbies with family and career, Engr. Jude stressed that being who you are and staying true is important. He adds that he also enjoyed staying outside of his comfort zone and further improving his skills. Socially and relationally, he said family drives him and keeps him going every single day. “Family weighs the most and that drives me. Work is not life, and life is not just about work,” Engr. Jude explained.