MMDC leaders tell how IT students prepare for the age of AI

Mapúa Malayan Digital College (MMDC) officials discussed how the school prepares the students for artificial intelligence (AI).

In an interview with Inquirer Tech, they explained the importance of adaptability and critical thinking in our world’s rapid digital transformation.

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These skills will enable future IT graduates to thrive by creating solutions from emerging technologies.

How can IT students adapt to AI?

The writer started the interview by asking how MMDC is doing the preparation.

Instructional System Design Director Noel Torregoza said the solution is within specific perspectives.

“There are a couple of ways you need to prepare IT learners. The first is the technical component, and the second is the soft skills.”

Technical component includes “programming languages, data analytics, machine learning, and AI prompt engineering.”

Conversely, soft skills involve training IT students to become “lifelong learners and early adopters.”

“We need to prepare them to use AI as a tool alongside traditional IT practices.”

As a result, as an IT student, “you know how to know.”

“It’s an under-appreciated value. To be willing to say, ‘I don’t know’… and think, ‘Now, I know what I need to know,’” Torregoza explained.

“Without that attitude of being adaptive, you’re just going to get stumped…”

“…convincing yourself that you’re okay when the rest of the world is leaving you behind.”

“When we analyzed the kind of students we attract, [we found out] they’re trailblazers,” MMDC Vice President for Marketing Jenny Chua said.

“They’re not afraid to try new things. To them, ‘Okay, maybe this is the model I should test out.’”

MMMC promotes an adaptive mindset by teaching IT students the skills they would likely need at work.

It uses the “PPC Method” which involves “PROJECTS, PROBLEMS and CASES.”

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“PPCs empower you to exercise key skills such as application, analytical thinking, critical thinking and creativity,” the official college website says.

“All traits that employers look for in the most attractive hires,” it adds.

How is AI transforming Filipino businesses?

The Decoding Global Talent Report 2024 reports 46% of Filipinos embrace generative AI at work.

The writer asked Chua and Torregoza how Filipinos use artificial intelligence in their jobs.

Chua said Pinoys use ChatGPT and Grammarly to draft and revise emails.

ChatGPT is also used for creating slogans, brand names and a few other marketing elements.

“Instead of me paying creative agencies money to come up with creatives, I can be the one to do that,” Chua explained.

MMDC also uses artificial intelligence for big data analysis, which helps to follow student trends.

For example, this technology helps the college find out which subjects students excel in. 

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As a result, it can gain specific insights sooner, which typically takes humans weeks to accomplish.

Torregoza also added that AI improves user social media recommendations.