By Santino Matías Im 

4th semester student of the Engineering Degree

in computer technologies – TEC Monterrey

Throughout my vast experience as a student in Mexico, and more specifically my experiences as a university student, I have been able to identify many things about the social characteristics that differentiate each educational institution and endorse it as a unique and singular entity. Whether it's the element of social revolution preached in many university communities, demonstrations as a means of protest, or other distinguishing factors such as respect and care for the environment. Although this isn't often represented by students in my school environment, there is one characteristic that seems almost inherent in a large part of the student community at my school: an entrepreneurial spirit.

In my journey as a student, previously in high school and currently in college, at the Tecnológico de Monterrey Santa Fe campus, I have noticed that this institution is frequently criticized for some general conceptions of the privilege held by the students of this school, and although some of these criticisms are supported by empirical arguments, I must say that the strong influence that students have with the world of business (without the need to study something related to that field) and entrepreneurship, is something fascinating and opens the doors for young people themselves to be in charge of opening the doors to the world of work, without the need to have previous experience or a job that supports their skills.

To illustrate and explain this with real facts, I will draw on projects and experiences in my field of study: computer technology engineering and STEM careers.

With the global labor market becoming saturated with jobs requiring studies in the aforementioned fields, young people today face a complex and difficult-to-enter landscape with little or no experience. This may be due to a lack of career opportunities in the field of computer science or a professional experience requirement that doesn't match the salary or the position offered.

Despite all these factors mentioned above that work against the professional development of beginners in STEM, young people belonging to the Tec de Monterrey school community have managed to find an answer that solves all these problems: Entrepreneurship, which allows them to create their own job opportunities, with a low or zero initial cost, with scalable projects that can serve as a catapult to build solutions based on the use of software engineering and that can later be used to access better jobs or continue their development.

To illustrate this point, I have two examples where the combination of software engineering knowledge and the insight to generate viable ideas and business models came together to create ventures that serve as young people's first contact with the world of work on their own.

The first example is a startup currently expanding to achieve a national impact. The project, called "Delta Dinámica," acts as a mediator between job seekers on the Uber platform who don't own a personal vehicle and a company that can provide vehicles for them, allowing them to pay for their vehicles as they work and generate income for themselves.

This project is extremely interesting, and although it required the participation and financial contributions of many parties, it is a fresh idea unheard of in Mexico. Therefore, it is an opportunity that, with proper development and management, could come to fruition, all thanks to the idea and software design skills of a second-year student.

The second project, although still in its initial stages, is the work of a classmate and myself. This project is called "Questoria" and is an educational platform aimed at people of all ages seeking to expand their general and specific knowledge. The interface is similar to that of a video game, providing interaction with historical figures who guide the learning process, along with a clean and lightweight design. Upon completion, the project will be scalable and downloadable like any other app, allowing us to go beyond the knowledge we acquire in class and enrich our evidence portfolio with a useful and innovative project.

Beyond the students, the environment of teachers that surrounds us also represents a great opportunity for our professional development.

Supporting us with advice from their professional and educational perspectives, providing counseling sessions to address questions outside of class, and other types of actions that help students who dare to take the step into the world of entrepreneurship, making it a little easier and more accessible with their support.

Taking into account all of the above, my perspective on the student and professional culture at Tec de Monterrey was very positively impacted, giving me a more optimistic and even motivated outlook on my future as a computer technology engineer. Entering the workforce with the confidence that you can work collaboratively with others, carry out high-impact projects, and having developed many skills along the way is incredibly valuable in today's workforce.

Finally, I'd like to close by mentioning that many projects currently standing out around the world were born from ventures undertaken by university students, just like any of us currently pursuing a professional degree. Although this entrepreneurial culture is most prevalent at my institution, we must work to ensure that young people across the country develop their own projects and ideas and receive strong support from the faculty at their respective institutions to ensure the success and viability of their projects.