THEY say that nothing beats experience, as my professor would say, as the perfect learning tool.  For some students, on-the-job training gives them a taste of the real world–a glimpse of what lies ahead after they graduate.

These students share what they learned from their on-the-job training experiences, from a few tricks of the trade and bittersweet lessons, to the life principles they can live by.

“One of the most important things I’ve learned is that talent alone is not enough. It is important, but it is no guarantee of success. One must also be hardworking and should practice self-discipline. Sacrifice is important, too.

“I have lots of memorable experiences. One is traveling. In my line of work, I usually travel to different countries for inspiration or ideas for new designs. I attend different kinds of training and meetings with clients and investors.

“I learned to sacrifice a lot of things; I hardly have time for anything else. Even on weekends, I’m in the office.  Start with what you know, and remove the unknown. Simply put, begin at the beginning and then work on how to solve the problems one at a time.”—Karla Motol, 21, Multimedia Arts, Asia Pacific College

“I learned it’s best to do and show your best. Ask your boss if they have some work for you to do. You never know; they might hire you after the internship or in the future. I think studying is harder than working, though; the real world is easier than college.”—Karen Edina O. Espiritu, 20, Advertising Arts, Far Eastern University

Being diplomatic

“I learned through experience how to interact and communicate with people. Knowing how to handle and tackle different issues  and still be diplomatic in both action and words is important. The whole experience of going to another country and facing issues that need to be addressed was quite memorable. Also, I was able to get a glimpse of how the United Nations works when I met new people during the trip.

“It will be so exciting in the ‘real’ world, being independent and figuring things out on your own. This also means having to deal with different people more often, so it is really good to know what you’re doing, and to love it. All we can do as students is to learn whatever  we can in school, be inspired, love the path we take, and finally do our best in everything we do, with a positive outlook in mind.” —Randy Ailemi Valdez, 19, International Studies under the track of International Politics, with a Minor of Peace Studies, Miriam College