by John Mark V. Tuazon
Computerworld Philippines
August 2, 2010

Changes in the IT industry are as inherent as the coming of the sun at daybreak, owing to quick technological developments in the field that rapidly affect numerous lives and businesses. These same changes—and the effect they have on users—have driven Anthony Estepa to excel in his chosen field of endeavor.

“It is that degree of exhilaration and enthusiasm I get when something new and better comes up,” relates the 33 year-old network administrator and MIS head of Marubeni Philippines Corporation, a local subsidiary trader from Japan. “I want to be there, at the forefront, when something big happens.”

As a young technology professional still getting his grips in the industry, Estepa, a graduate of computer engineering from AMA Computer College, made it a point to equip himself with knowledge and expertise essential to his work. “In my job, it is very important to have the tenacity to acquire new trends and ideas,” he shares. “As an IT person, I make it a point to learn about the latest breakthroughs so as to keep up with the continuously evolving market.”

However, it is in his stint as a technical consultant at Asiasoft Philippines, a local distributor of Citrix products and other workflow systems, that ultimately propelled him to an upstart career in the industry. “That post brought about a lot of experiences which equipped me with the knowledge on the breakthroughs in the IT industry. As a tech consultant, I needed to study the different networks and system infrastructures of our clients,” he says.

It is also with his year-long stint in the company that he was able to impart valuable knowledge to the next-generation of IT professionals. “When I was still with Asiasoft, I remember training three new graduates about Citrix and the last words I said to them is to always strategize. In any difficulty or problem you’re faced with, you got to have your own strategy,” he explains.

Strategy is the key to doing the job well, according to Estepa, because tools and knowledge from trainings are mainly for theoretical purposes only. Technical strategies, however, are not the lone criterion for success in the industry. “Teamwork, constant motivational drive and effective communication skills are very important in every leader to ensure an effective and efficient working relationship,” he suggests.

Working with a team of highly esteemed and experienced technical professionals is like being the coach of a basketball team, the IT head says. “It’s the role of the coach to create a game plan, ensure that this is understood by all players and fully implemented in the course of the game, and that each and every player is driven to go for the goal,” he points out, adding that one must have the ability to lead in order to achieve desired results.

This “strategy”—including hard work, dedication, and flexibility—has enabled him to swiftly climb the corporate ladder, and landing a decade’s worth of a stable yet fulfilling career in his current company. “Management has been supportive with my ideas all these years and I owe it up to them the same kind of commitment and work ethics,” he adds.

Still, Estepa says his eyes are trained towards the horizon, waiting for that next packet of opportunity to drop to his arms and earn him his keep. “I learned from experience that risks are worth taking in this industry,” he recalls. “You just have to trust your instinct and your capability in doing the tasks handed to you.”

If instincts are to be followed, then, Estepa says he’s looking at venturing into the distribution business. “[I want] something to call my own, [a distribution business] or perhaps something that is a mix of IT and non-IT,” he notes.

The only thing constant is the world is change, so an old adage goes. And for young Estepa, keeping up with the changes—and carving your own changes in your niche—is always the way to go.

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