By Fonz Bautista

By Alexia Bangayan

Grade 11 students from the Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) strand took part in the third session of the annual Career Exploration (CarEx) symposium at the Leong Hall on Wednesday, January 21.

The seminar was spearheaded by the Ateneo Office of Guidance and Counseling–Senior High School (OGC-SHS), under the theme “Patuloy sa Paghayo: Itaguyod ang Pangarap at Maglingkod Nang May Puso.”

To start the program, a TED Talk by psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth was shown to anchor the symposium on the idea that “grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” emphasizing that talent alone does not define success.

Professionals from different fields shared their experiences and insights with the students during the symposium, which ran from 3:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.

The first speaker, Mr. Jaime Noel J. Santos, an entrepreneur and co-founder of Thames International Business School and Entrepreneur School Asia (ESA), shared his 25-year “roller coaster” life journey, highlighting that grit comes from knowing why one rides the roller coaster in the first place.

He defined his “why” as developing people to fulfill God’s mission for them in the world as “a man for others.”

Santos added that his life’s ups and downs made him stronger because his tool was a commitment to lifelong learning and trusting that he was riding God’s roller coaster.

Afterwards, Mr. Jose Jericho C. Padua III from the business sector spoke about having ambition and regret, warning the students to pursue goals carefully with the reminder: ‘‘Ultimately, don’t screw it up.’’

Padua compared growth to a hardware upgrade with the software still in beta, advising the audience to “make a living, build a life.”

The final speaker, Atty. Arnold De Vera, explained his journey revolving around his three roles — a legislator, an educator, and someone who tries to help workers change laws they believe need reform.

De Vera stated that when choosing a path, one should start by asking what they truly enjoy and by being sensitive to callings from family, friends, and teachers.

During the question-and-answer portion, Santos said that grit is born from failure and strengthened through life experiences.

Additionally, the speakers warned against using money as the main motivation for starting a business, and instead encouraged students to build connections that ‘‘nudge’’ them to “not screw it up.”

They concluded by suggesting that students balance themselves with Artificial Intelligence (AI) sell themselves based on potential — not just by credentials.

The last CarEx session for the juniors is scheduled for Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) strand students on Thursday, February 19.