One of the best decisions I made in life was when I chose Lyceum of the Philippines University – Batangas to be part of my career. To be honest, Marine Engineering was not my first choice; it’s not even in my choices at all but because of certain reasons, I was encouraged to take this program.
As I went along with my Academic Years in LPU, I started to enjoy this maritime program; I even came to love it. Professors and Instructors were great and very professional; facilities were good, the laboratories were state-of-the-art even during my time, and one of the things I liked the most was the curriculum.
I am not a bright student, I’m just an ordinary student who wants to learn and be successful with the path that I chose. LPU specifically the Lyceum International Maritime Academy helped me throughout my academic years, with their curriculum from basic to major subjects helped me understand the basic principles which I needed most when I graduated.
Marine Engineering is not an ordinary program; it mainly deals with the operation and maintenance of different types of machinery and equipment on board a ship. For me, what I need to bring when I go onboard a ship are the basic principles of the machinery that I will deal with and experience will take care of the rest. When I first joined a ship, I was very confident, because I know that I brought along with me the knowledge of basic principles I gathered and learned when I was in the academy.
LPU also helped me land a cadetship for my Shipboard Training when I finished my 3-academic years and here I am now, still engaged with the same Company where I started my seafaring career. As a former faculty member, LPU also gave me the experience to share with students the knowledge that I gathered and learned from my experiences onboard the ship. It was a great experience for me to be able to teach young students and future marine engineers.
With all the learnings from LPU, support from my family, friends, colleagues, and experiences onboard the ships throughout my career, and blessings from God, at a very young age, I already manned a vessel as a Chief Engineer. The challenges I faced in my career, the problems I encountered throughout my seafaring days are nothing compared to the fruits of the sacrifices that I am harvesting now.
Many may say that I’m already a successful Marine Engineer, but for me, I still need to learn continuously because the advancement and development of technology never stop. Machinery’ technology may develop but their basic principle will never change and I’m very much confident that I can easily cope with it because I am a Lycean, every time I join a vessel, I still bring the knowledge of basic principles I learned from LPU.
Marine Engineering may not be my first choice of career but with the help of the university, here I am now, onboard an Ocean Going Vessel engaged in an International Trade and a proud Chief Engineer Officer.#ButiNaLangNagLyceumAko
C/E Cuthbert Raphael D. Barretto
- BS Marine Engineering 2007
- Dalisay Shipping Corporation
