OJT - Magsaysay Maritime Corporation Week 4

On-the-Job Training
Magsaysay Maritime Corporation
Week 4 - April 30 - May 5 2007

Our On-the-Job Training in Magsaysay Maritime Corporation is in its fourth week and we have learned and enjoyed a lot from this experience.

This week, I was assigned back to the G.E. Antonino Bldg. as intructed by my supervisor. Last Monday, I was given the privelage to do one of the tasks of a Network Security Administators which is to create an e-mail account of some of the newly hired employees. I was able to remote one of the servers which is capable of doing such function.

Last Wednesday, I was informed that one of us trainees will be assigned on the Shipserv of MMC, there will be a speed test that will be conducted before we are accepted. That day, we were able to troubleshoot many problems of the employees regarding IT. On Thursday, we were able to format some computers for the shipserv and troubleshoot problems in various departments of the company. It was my first time that day to use the VNC viewer application in solving software problems. On the next day, I was assigned to the Times Plaza Bldg. at the National Marine Corp (NMC) office to assist one of the TSS in troubleshooting problems. Before that day ended, our supervisor has requested us to go to work on Saturday (May 5, 2007) to give some assistance to the TOEFL examination.

Our last day for the week was a new experience to me and my colleague, Lhaarnie. We were able to supervise and give assistance to the TOEFL examinees in their exam. Before the test, we checked all the computers and prepared them for the upcoming test. After that, we were given a tour by our TSS supervisor to the Magsaysay Training Center (MTC). and to the Magsaysay Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Arts. It was an exciting and fascinating experience.

OJT - Magsaysay Maritime Corporation Week 3

On-the-Job Training
Magsaysay Maritime Corporation
Week 3 - April 23-27, 2007

We are now in our third week of our On-the-Job training at Magsaysay Maritime Corporation. It was a surprising and yet an interesting week for me and my colleague, Lhaarnie. In this week, I was surprised to know that my supervisor assigned to another company of Magsaysay which is the National Maritime Corporation (NMC). It is located at the 7th Floor of the Times Plaza Building, around 4 blocks away from MMC. I am still an assistant of the TSS in their day-to-day operation in the IT department there.

My first two days at NMC was an interesting experience for me. New locations of offices and new faces of people made it a little hard for me to do my work, but after some quite of time I got used to it. On my first day, I tried to get acquainted with the systems there by analyzing the computers, switches, and the PBX in the IT room. On the next day, we troubleshoot and deployed some computers in the HROM.

Last Wednesday, one of the Network security administrator from MMC was able to impart knowledge to me about the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP). He let me test the VOIP by calling to the Cagayan Branch and check if the signal is clear. It was an interesting experience. On the next day, I was allowed by my supervisor to attend some service request on my own. I was nervous, for it was my first time to give help without any authorized TSS. Luckily, only basic problems on the printer and mouse where encountered. After that day, I realized that the job of the TSS can be very critical and stressful. I've learned a lot from that experience. On our last day for this week, my colleague and I had our first half day of work. There were no problems encountered that morning and after that, we went home to Lucena in the afternoon.

OJT - Magsaysay Maritime Corporation Week 2

On-the-Job Training

Magsaysay Maritime Corporation

Week 2 - April 16-20, 2007

Its been two weeks since we started as trainees in Magsaysay Maritime Corporation. This week has been a long and busy week for us. We are still assigned as assistants in the helpdesk of the IT Department of Magsaysay but unlike our first week, we have learned more about their Information Technology and how they utilize it.

Last Monday and Tuesday, we encountered some computer problems from various departments of the company. Armed with our skills and knowledge in computer troubleshooting, we were able to solve their problems and were able to gain some knowledge about networking and security that we haven't learned before. Based on my experience from last Monday and Tuesday, Magsaysay's IT Department runs a tight management in terms of getting the job done. In order for the company to be productive, employees must be able to work with the help of IT. Almost all the employees in Magsaysay use a computer, it is an essential tool for them to do their day-to-day tasks. It is crucial that all the computers that the employees use run smoothly and accordingly and that is where the Technical Support Specialist (TSS) comes in. Their job is to solve all the problems of the employees regarding IT. They are responsible for managing all the IT resources of the company and ensuring the smooth flow of their system.

In the last three days of this week, we were able to do different tasks aside from the helpdesk. Last Wednesday, we were able to assemble a clone CPU from scratch by gathering the parts from other CPU. The CPU that we assembled was deployed to an employee in Magsaysay. Our supervisors were proud to found out that we were able to assemble a functionable computer from scratch. We were able to format the computer and install a Genuine Microsoft Windows XP on it. On the following day, we were able to solve more computer problems of the employees, we commonly use the VNC Viewer application for solving common software problems. We also installed the softwares needed to the computer that we assembled before deploying it that day. It was a busy day for all the TSS last Thursday. I was able to be an assistant of one of my supervisor in troubleshooting in the Magsaysay Building. I was fortunate to be brought and oriented to the main switch (backbone) of the Magsaysay Maritime Corporation.

For the last day of this week, we were able to have our first over time work in Magsaysay. It was a busy day for all the IT personnel. In the morning, we were able again to reformat and repair some computers for the company to use. In the afternoon, I was called by one of the IT administrator (Sir JC) to come with him to the Magsaysay Global Services Incorporation (MGSI) at the Times Plaza Building to help him ensure and check the Internet Connections at the TOFEL examination room. He was able to impart some knowledge about their system there. It was a fun and exciting experience. There was a power outage in the buildings of Magsaysay in the noon that caused some computers to malfunction. We were able to give our assistance to the Technical Support Specialist until 6 in the afternoon. Fortunately, all the tasks for the TSS where finished that day, it is a job well done for all of us.

OJT - Magsaysay Maritime Corporation Week 1

On-the-Job Training

Magsaysay Maritime Corporation

Week 1 - April 10-13, 2007

It was 7:30AM when we left our boarding house in Ermita on our way to the first day of work. Our first agenda for that day was to report to Ms. Romina Dela Cuesta, the Human Resource Manager at the 9th Floor of Times Plaza Building in Ermita. After getting acquainted with her, we were given the application forms for us to fill-up and an endorsement letter which is addressed to the IT Department of Magsaysay Maritime Corporation.

Our next duty, was to report to the IT Department of Magsaysay Maritime Corporation. The IT Department is located in the 2nd Fl. G.E. Antonino Bldg. which is a walking distance away from Times, Plaza Building. There we met Mrs. Josie Martinez, which is one of the head of the IT Department. After getting acquainted with her, we were introduced to Mr. Dexter A. Bernal as one of the IT Support Specialist. He oriented us about the whole system of Magsaysay and how things work in the company. We were given a manual about the floor plan, WAN and LAN of the company for us to further understand their system. After that, we were introduced to all the IT personnels, including the administrators of the IT Department and we were warmly welcomed as their trainees. We were also given a quick tour to their BLADE server, which is very fascinating to see.

Our nature of work in Magsaysay for this week is to assist the IT personnels in the helpdesk, it involves troubleshooting all the Information Systems and Computer Hardware of all the computers in the company. The IT department is responsible for giving assistance to all the different departments and companies under Magsaysay Maritime Corporation. My nature of work can be very stressful in some times because some problems can't be solved in a short amount of time and it also requires a lot of patience especially when talking with hot tempered employees. I was able to work with the IT support specialist there in their field work, it is very tiring to do because we usually roam around the three buldings of Magsaysay which is in a long distance from our office.

Magsaysay, has an advanced IT software which is very useful to their emplyees and we are fortunate that one our boss gives us tutorial and information on how these systems work. The SMIS(Seafearers Management Information System), which is an in-house database application (made by their own programmers) especially made to handle and manage all the records of the seafearers; The ACCPAC, which is the application for the accounting department; LOTUS Notes, e-mail capabilities (used only by the admin); Active Directory, for users and group account management. These are only some of the software used by the emplyees of Magsaysay.

As a trainee in the IT Department, our boss has also taught us the software they use for troubleshooting. These software are very handy and useful in our day-to-day work. VNC Viewer - Allows the user to control any connected computer within the company, it is the most useful software for software troubleshooting; Real Time Pop up, it allows real time communication with other IT staff in the field.

My first week in Magsaysay Maritime Corporation was interesting, it gave me new insights in the world of IT and how things work in a large company. The work of the administrators in the IT department inspired me to pursue more in my field of expertise. I hope that my OJt in Magsaysay will be more interesting in the weeks to come.