Remus Ong

Background

About Remus Ong

During my Polytechnic Internship period, I was attached to the finance department. I was given the task of performing routine maintenance of the company’s accounts. However, the accounting software used in the firm was unfamiliar to me as it was not taught in class. Instead of remaining lost and waiting for help from my supervisor, I took this as a learning opportunity. I remembered going back home with the instruction manual in order to be better prepared the next day. It was the words of Alvin Toffler that motivated me to do so."The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” Through this experience, I came to realize the limitations of what is taught in class. It is difficult for my lecturers and professors to fully prepare me for the working life due to the differences in organization preferences (in my case, the use of different accounting software) and constant changes in technology and accounting standards. Therefore, I must remain adaptable to my surroundings, making use of the opportunities to learn inside and outside of the classroom. Life is a journey full of learning, the humility to unlearn when the situation calls for it and relearn to adapt to new environments.