Alpha Eritrean Engineers Community

February 2011

JOURNEY OF SUCCESS
SURPASSED MY OWN EXPECTATIONS

VALUABLE LESSON
REACHING OUT
LIST OF COMPANIES HIRING

e AEEC
 CONTENTS AND CONTRIBUTORS EDITORS
JOURNY OF SUCCSUS
BY A NDAI T ESFAI SABLE GEBREMEDHIN, M.S. IN PSYCHOLOGY

SURPASSED MY OWN EXPECTATIONS ADIAM WOLDEGERGISH, PH.D

BY K IBROM H AILU
YOHANNES GHEBREAB, B.A. IN
VALUABLE LESSON MANAGEMENT
BY F ITSUM C HIFFA
SAMSON GONNETZ, C.E. AND
REACHING OUT
YOSIEF WOLDEMARIAM, E.E.
BY Y ARED N EGUSSIE

LIST OF COMPANIES OR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES

CURRENTLY HIRING

AEEC | February 2010 2

 Journey of success

When I came to USA many advised me to not waste my lesson I got both from school and work had permanent
time to go to college as they thought my gigantic dreams impact in my life so I proceeded forward without deviating
were beyond my reach and if in case I make it would be from the right direction. I searched for a job for six months,
hard at the professional level to compete with American but I never had luck to find any.
people hence my academic success would back fire at me to
cause frustration than help me win life. For many the most Finally, I went back to school and earned BS in Electrical
feasible option is the short cut to easily make money but Engineering from San Francisco State University. After
my senses told me success is the result of relentless hard graduation I was hired as a contractor at TOSHIBA in
work and is attainable thus I decided to start my studies Mixed Signal Development Group (MSD) in San Jose as
immediate after my arrival. The beginning was not easy Test Engineer through temporary hiring agency called
mainly because I have long been disassociated from school VOLT. I was testing new Integrated Circuit Chips using
as I completed high school back at home eight years before different equipments such as Oscilloscopes, Network
I moved to USA. Analyzers, HP Pulse/Pattern Generators, Tektronix Digital
Sampling Oscilloscopes, Agilent (HP) ParBERT,
In 1992 I joined Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) and to Programmable Power Supply, Function Generators, Digital
support my living I worked inside the camp particularly in Multi-meter, and Temperature Control etc. I wrote Bench
the cafeteria ground and tutoring math. Before I completed Test Procedures and final report for every new IC Chips I
the preliminary courses in electronics I was fortunate to gettested for two years. Although I was working as a contractor
an assembly job at Hewlett Packard (HP) through a I never stopped from exploring other opportunities and in
temporary agency (Man Power). Working at HP gave me 2009 I joined a new company called Virident in Milpitas
greater insight and inspiration to push harder in my and still working there as R&D Lab Manager. As a new
education hence right away I was enrolled in Electronic company we went through all ups and downs, but finally we
Certificate Program at the same college. Before my final made it. Please see www.virident.com.
semester in the program, HP offered me a permanent job as
Electronic Technician in Micro Wave Accessories From my experience I would like to advise all prospective
department. The job was challenging but for the first time I professionals the following keys to success:
felt optimistic because the transition from the assembly line
 Have clear vision in life
to the technical post signaled me progress is possible with
 Gather as much information as possible regarding
time. There I was calibrating and verifying 8510 Network
the field of study you want to study specially from
Analyzers to perform troubleshooting and testing different
seniors in the same discipline
Wave Guides, Coax accessories, Radio Frequency (RF),
 Do not change your major
Integrated Circuits and Electronic Calibration Modules that
 Find right universities where you can get part time
varies from DC all the way to 1GHz. I used those
job or internship programs related to your major,
opportunities positively to upgrade my technical skills in
For example: San Jose State University in Silicon
trouble shooting, operating different types of electronic
Valley for Electrical Engineering majors
equipments, writing test and assembly documentations etc.
 Try to find an assembly job at early age while you
After two years of hard work as Electronic Technician I are at High school
joined the Research and Development (R&D) department as  Try your best to upgrade your skills
R&D Engineering Technician. The department was staffed  Expand your networking system with people
with senior engineers who possess life long experience with (related to your field) and add your own
tremendous theoretical and practical skills. My hard work in
For valid reasons each one of us chose our own unique path
my previous job paid me off as my new job as R&D
towards success. Some prefer the short cuts and others the
Engineering Technician went on smooth and I was learning
long journey as I did to accomplish my mission. The good
very fast. At the R&D department I worked for three years
thing is I achieved my goal though with heavy sacrifices.
until I got laid off on October 2001 because of the
economical crises followed September 11 unfortunate
incident. The impact of my layoff was hammering but the ~ Andai Tesfai, E.E.

AEEC | February 2010 3

 Comments & Suggestions
Page

Wow…, what a great job!!! I am really proud of you guys. I

just got the email and start reading it, it sounds really good.
Thank you for your hard work and making it happen. Great
job!!!
Engineer Mekonen Hadgu

It is really nice to see the project issuing its first output.

A Great work and keep it up. Hope it will inspire lots of
Eritrean Engineers and may be it will be a venue for
E attaining engineering carries for a lot of young Eritrean and
the like.
E Engineer Filipos Abreha
C
Bravo. This is really wonderful and your effort and those of
others is much appreciated and needed. I hope the best for
the future of AEEC and its members. I also want to thank
you for your kind words in the 1st edition. I am very
humbled and honored. I believe that if we are in a position
to lend a helping hand to our fellow people, then the fruits
of that simple effort are enjoyed by many.
Engineer Daniel Woldeselasie

AEEC | February 2010 4

 Surpassed my own expectations

First, I am honored to write an article for the Eritrean goals in preparation to become professional by
Engineers Community (AEEC) magazine & because attending several workshops. Amongst these
workshops were ways to prepare professional resumes
this magazine targets prospective engineers as well, I
etc, it equipped me with important skill to win my
will focus on ways and means of succeeding in studies and employment opportunities. NSBE was
professional field of engineering. Certainly there are primarily formed by students and offered great
many elements to success but I believe the most resources to increasing contacts and networks. My
important traits students in college should acquire right membership with NSBE played a crucial role in
from the start are discipline, hard work and ethics. meeting fellow engineering students and professionals
School is the perfect time to learn the techniques in the field. Each year, NSBE holds national and
regional conferences where they invite companies
necessary to be successful academically and advance
from all over the country to recruit for potential future
into labor market in the respective fields of study. In employees. As a member of NSBE, I was able to travel
order to succeed both as a student and professional, I to different cities throughout the country to attend
recommend for students to constantly seek out and conferences, workshops, and seminars that enriched
participate in project that interests them- that way they my knowledge. I highly recommend students to get
can better get prepared for what is ahead. Trying to involved with such organizations to facilitate the
opportunities and services for future career planning.
solve a problem and get engaged in challenging project
is a clue and part of the process towards success which Additionally, in this bad economy when
many of my friends and colleagues are fully aware of. unemployment is high, it’s good to look for
alternatives on finding a job. Students rarely use
It is very important to utilize every resources and networking directly with professional society in their
opportunity available. I still to this day remember my area of interest in finding a job. Most of these
first year at the university was mostly spent trying to professional organizations encourage students to join
keep up with the demands in my classes. However, them and attend their meeting and conferences. The
during the second semester, I became more aware of following quote sometimes makes sense and as
the meetings and events that were being held for individuals we should utilize, “it’s who you know, not
engineering majors. Once I had learned how to manage what you know“ to better ourselves professionally..By
my time better, I felt like I could tap into those attending these professional organization’s events, you
wonderful resources and opportunities. I went on to will be able to build personal relation face to face and
graduate in May of 2009 from San Francisco State allow you to let companies know what you are looking
University with a Bachelors Sciences degree in for and/or interested in professionally during breaks
Electrical engineering. I am currently working for a and networking time. What better way is there for
consulting firm as an Electrical Designer in areas of students to have access to perhaps potential employer
communication, security, power and fire safety than meeting them in person! By doing so, you might
systems. have slighter edge than those who submit their resume
via email.
As you go to school or even after you become a
professional, I strongly urge you to be a member of For instance, for electrical Engineering major students,
professional association. As for me, with the support joining IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic
of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), I Engineer), the world’s largest professional
surpassed my own expectations and achieved many organization is a wise step in networking with

AEEC | February 2010 5

professionals. IEEE has local chapters that will direct you to get more information. http://www.e-
professionals hold meetings at least once a month. grid.net/
Here in the Bay Area for example, e-GRID is the local ~ Kibrom Hailu, EE
chapter for IEEE. e-Grid holds monthly Meetings, Interested in knowing more about e-Grid, link below
Classes & Conferences in all over the bay area. When I will direct you to get more information. http://www.e-
was a student, my schoolmates (who were also Hard
grt e-Grid, linkto below
reach doesn’t have toyou
will direct mean
to hard to do
get mor ~ Km
electrical engineering majors) and I used to go to e- Hailu, EE
Grid’s monthly meetings in which we had a chance to
meet and get associated with professionals and A
managers in the fields of our interest. Spending a few
hours in such places is worthwhile to create wider E
social connection. I personally knew students who
were offered jobs from some of the firms through those E
meetings we attended.
C
I cannot express enough the importance of preparing
yourself for the engineering field as early as possible. It
is also very crucial to engage yourself in organizations
available at your schools and communities to better
prepare yourself for the field and to have a smooth Bringing the best and the brightest together
transition after finishing college. Should you be
interested in knowing more about e-Grid, link below

“The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.” ~ B.B. King

~ Vince Lombardi

AEEC | February 2010 6

 Valuable Lesson

Taking any subject in higher education is not easy, Each of the professors I had are exceptionally qualified
especially engineering courses with Professor Franco. and demonstrated wisdom and authority in their field
Taking his classes required a lot of my time and of expertise. I truly believe each of my classes were
energy. By the same token, life here in America is not thought-provoking which made my educational
effortless either. For me, integrating school, living in experiences meaningful. I also acquired a great deal of
the states and trying to balance it all was a challenge knowledge and experience which ultimately helped me
which I had to cope with every semester. However, and two of my classmates be able to design amongst
since I had strong desire to become an engineer which many things, a arithmetic Computer (calculator) in the
I have had since childhood helped me overcome the school lab. This calculator, which we created was a
challenges of balancing work and school. To overcome kind that had a basic function (adds, subtracts, divides
my challenges I had to sacrifice my sleep time when I and multiplies) as well as a resistor, capacitors, gates
needed it the most, decrease quality family time and (XOR, OR, AND NAND etc.) and a 7-segment LED to
minimize my socializing time with my friends and display the numbers and microcontroller program. The
loved ones. Even with my sacrifices, I honestly calculator was a combination of software and
believe, the time I spent at school was some of the hardware. Creating this calculator was an exciting, fun
most enjoyable, productive and abundantly memorable and challenging experience. What I mean by that is at
experiences. Some of my wonderful experiences the beginning stage of our development, a few chips
included enjoying and building my friendship with my were burned out because of design mistakes, however
classmates and having the opportunity to creating an we learned from our mistake and overcame all the
arithmetic calculator and microcontroller. obstacles and achieve the desire result. The ultimate
result of this lab exercise was to see our final product
I attended a university in the very popular city of San on the program display.
Francisco, where parking is rare to find, especially The lab experiment, which I did with two of my
within the surrounding of the university I attended. classmates, paved the way for a much more
Also, due to distance and traffic congestion I decided challenging experiment in making a microprocessor
to carpool. When I started carpooling, I was fortunate during my senior project lasting two semesters. Work
enough to find Eritreans going to the same school and on a single project for two semesters in a group of
had a great time with them while commuting to school. three was another challenge by itself. As a team, each
As time went by, our relationship became stronger and member had to make his/her schedule work to
we ended up being good friends. Even though, I never accommodate all of us. Dealing with individuals who
had time to socialize, carpooling became a way of have entirely different cultural background as well as
make great friends and having memorable experiences social life was equally challenging in making the
while attending school. Looking back, I am thankful I microprocessor. However, although the experience was
made the decision early to participate in carpooling. tough at that moment, it taught me a valuable lesson
Due to my carpool experience I have created best which helped me when I started working in the real
friends whom I still keep in touch with and continue to world. My college experience and interaction with my
create the most enjoyable and memorable time. peers and professor has helped me work with diverse
people across many cultural boundaries. While
While attending school, I was very fortunate to have working with my classmates, it was a great
Professors like Holton and Franco amongst many as achievement to put our difference aside in order to
my instructors.

AEEC | February 2010 7

attain a common goal, learn each other’s personalities extraordinaryand
extraordinary and extremely
extremely rewarding,
rewarding, even eventhough
though
and create better friendships while learning from each the process of becoming an engineer was very
the process of becoming an engineer was very
other. This has helped me now that I am working and challengingand
challenging andininmymycase
case required
required a lot
a lot of social
of social and
will continue to help me for the rest of my life when I and financial scarifies. By making such
financial scarifies. By making such sacrifice and sacrifice and
meet and interact with different people. At work becomingan
becoming anengineer
engineer II have
have more
moreopportunities
opportunitiesand and
presently I am working with various groups dealing without it I could not imagine having it
without it I could not imagine having it at all. Now I at all. Now
with contractors and people who have different I have
have thethe opportunity
opportunity andand choice
choice to togogototothetheoffice
officeto
background. If it wasn’t for my senior project’s dotomydo work.
my work. If not
If I do I dogonot go to
to the the Ioffice
office I can
can perform
experience it would have been difficult to handle the perform my job anywhere, so long as I have
my job anywhere, so long as I have internet access and internet
experiences I encounter daily the way I do now. amaccess
able and am able tomy
to complete complete
work onmytime. work Ultimately,
on time.
my hard work and scarifies has paid off at last.paid off
Ultimately, my hard work and scarifies has
The pleasure of working as an engineer now is at last.
~ Fitsum Chiffa, E. E.
~ Fitsum Chiffa, E.
E.

To read without reflecting is

like eating without digesting.

~Edmund Burke

AEEC | February 2010 8

 Reaching Out
In today's job market and economy, the saying “it is not you a great job, or land your feet in the door step – as
what you know, it is who you know” rings true to many many like to say. There are many ways to network,
peoples' ear. The economy is creeping up slowly, yet the online and off line. Networking sites like Linkedin.com
unemployment numbers are troubling. Many talented are great places to start networking and job hunt.
people are unemployed, not because they lack skills, but Another major place for networking is associations.
because they don't have the “right connections”.
Professional associations like AEEC play great role in
My company recently hired 13 new graduate associate connecting the right candidate with the right job. It is
software engineers. I thought this might mean jobs are true that AEEC is new organization that is growing;
opening every corner and people are going to be hired, however, its inception was based on networking
but on my way back from work, the report on radio was Eritrean engineers from all over. Staying connected will
just the opposite. I run across of people who have been allow us to flourish in our numbers and knowledge.
victims of the current economic situation. They all say Organizations, like AEEC, are conduit for what is
how many countless resumes and cover letters they happening in the industry and job market.
have sent. They are in the brink of giving up, and some Understanding the crucial function we can play, we have
considering a career change. They wonder if their compiled few very talented Eritreans who are currently
resumes are even being looked at – the sad truth is that, seeking jobs. We hope, this will lead to having others
their resumes might not have been looked because step forward and share positions that might be available
someone who knows someone at XYZ Company had his in their respective employment. We are each other’s
resume reviewed before everyone else. assets. The information we share can change someone's
Career coaches and speakers at every meeting advise life forever. There is nothing as pleasing as impacting
everyone to network. Networking is extremely others in positive way. As the gap of unemployment
important in today's competitive job market. Finding period widens, we all know the chances of getting jobs
someone who will give your resume a look in the midst are getting slimmer. In my opinion, the length of
of piles of resumes corporations are receiving in a daily unemployment gap is inversely proportional to chance
basis is important. of getting hired. We can help by mentoring and
providing information about various job opportunities
Knowing how to network is a skill in itself that can land that we know of, to this people.
~ Yared Negussie, Computer Engineer

Eritreans who are currently looking for Engineering/Technical jobs

Name Degree Experience Email Phone Number
Samson Gonets Civil Engineer One Year [email protected] (510) 495-4538

Thomas Araya Computer Science Seven ears [email protected] (510) 757-7352

Simon Haile Electrical Engineer One year [email protected] (678) 982-0147

AEEC | February 2010 9

 Current Job Opportunities
Closing
Companies or Government Jobs Field
Date
http://www.calopps.org/ViewAgencyJob.cfm?ID=9523 Engineering Continuous

http://www.calopps.org/ViewAgencyJob.cfm?ID=9398 Engineer - Civil Until Filled

March 11,
http://www.calopps.org/ViewAgencyJob.cfm?ID=9562 Engineer – Civil
2011

http://www.boeing.com/careers/jobsEvents.html Software Engineer (4/5) 6J7BP4 Until Filled

http://www.boeing.com/careers/jobsEvents.html Software Engineer (4/5) 6J7BP4 Until Filled

Mechanical System Design & Analysis

http://www.boeing.com/careers/jobsEvents.html Until Filled
Engineer (3/4) 6G5BP3

http://www.calopps.org/ViewAgencyJob.cfm?ID=9562 Elec. Electronics Engineer Mgr K 6B1AMK Until Filled

Wire Design & Install Engineer (3/4)

http://www.boeing.com/careers/jobsEvents.html Until Filled
6B1CP3

Wire Design & Install Engineer (4/5)

http://www.boeing.com/careers/jobsEvents.html Until Filled
6B1CP4

AEEC | February 2010 10

 About the authors
Andai Tesfai ([email protected]) earned
his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from San
Francisco State University. Currently he is
working with Virident as R&D Lab Manager. Got an Engineering experiences to share?
Kibrom Hailu ([email protected]) earned his
All you need to do is put them in writing
B.S. in Electrical Engineering from San
Francisco State University. Currently he is with not less than 250 and not more than
working with FW Associates Engineering 650 words. We will put them on
Counsalting Firm as designer. subsequent issues.
Fitsum Ghiffa ([email protected]) holds
B.S. in Electrical Engineering from San Send them to:
Francisco State University. Currently he is <[email protected]>
working with AT&T as field engineer.

Yared Nugssie ([email protected]) received

his B.S. in Computer Engineering from Chico
California State University and he currently is
working with Pearson..

AEEC BE PART OF IT

IT CONNECTS

IT INFORMS

IT SHARES EXPERIENCES

AEEC | February 2010 11