José Oliveira, currently a Master’s student in Telecommunications and Informatics Engineering, knew from an early age that he wanted to pursue a path connected to scientific development: “I have always been drawn to physical and technological things. I liked sitting down and trying to understand how things work,” he recalls.

However, the transition to higher education was not an easy process. He first entered Electronic Engineering and, during the second phase of the national admission process, transferred to Telecommunications and Informatics Engineering. “I entered the degree somewhat by chance,” he says, remembering that he continued to feel disappointed for not having been admitted to his first choice (Computer Science and Computer Engineering), something that influenced his attitude towards the programme.

At the same time, he explains that the change in the teaching model also affected his adaptation: “especially with the division into academic periods, everything was very fast-paced and intense, and it’s also the first time in your life that you have the freedom to decide whether to attend classes or not, whether to study for an exam or take the resit… there are so many decisions suddenly placed in your hands all at once,” he highlights.

Everyone knows what they have to do, but somehow, in practice, we struggle to do it. You have to learn what it really means to have that inner strength.

José Oliveira, Master’s student in Telecommunications and Informatics Engineering

In addition to these factors, he also believes that “people enter Técnico with the wrong perspective.” He stresses the need to break down myths such as the idea that the School is excessively difficult, that “you can always pass through resits,” or that achieving high grades is unnecessary. “I feel that this kind of mindset did not help my process, and I learned that paying attention in class and keeping up with the coursework actually makes things easier,” he explains.

Throughout his academic journey, José Oliveira emphasises that he needed to “sit down with himself,” reflect on his perspective of academic life, and change his attitude. “I became much more motivated and much more grateful to be at Técnico,” he says. Today, he also values the importance of his fellow students, recognising that they represent the future of engineering and may one day develop projects with social impact. “Técnico will teach you many things. We have some of the best professors in Portugal, the programme is well organised, and the decisions regarding the subjects taught are good… You will finish your degree knowing far more than you think you do. If you want to be an engineer, Técnico is the place for you,” he underlines.

I think that the moment I managed to reconnect with my centre, my direction, and this passion I have, everything started going better. I stayed in telecommunications and now I cannot imagine myself in any other branch of engineering.

José Oliveira, Master’s student in Telecommunications and Informatics Engineering

“In hindsight, I think people leave secondary school without really knowing themselves or understanding what they truly want to do,” he reflects. Today, the student recognises the importance of the knowledge acquired in classes. His interest in telecommunications has grown, and he is currently pursuing a specialisation in this field during his Master’s degree. “I have loved my telecommunications courses. They are challenging, and I learn practical things that I genuinely enjoy,” he says, adding that he has also developed an interest in cybersecurity through the courses chosen during the second cycle of studies.

Within telecommunications, he is particularly interested in mobile communication networks because of their relevance in real-world contexts, such as communication protocols through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular networks, and 5G. This is the area in which he hopes to develop his thesis next year. “I think telecommunications is a field full of opportunities, projects, and life. There is still so much development to be done, whether in vehicular networks, mobile networks, disaster-response networks, among others,” he notes.

At the same time, beyond valuing the importance of technology in everyday life, the student explains that his enthusiasm for the programme also grew as he reflected on the common foundations shared by different branches of engineering.

I do not think I had ever considered the scale of the engineering mindset. (…) All engineering disciplines are based on the same foundations: calculus, statistics, physics… I share the same core knowledge as the people who design bridges and airplanes.

José Oliveira, Master’s student in Telecommunications and Informatics Engineering

Over time, influenced by reconnecting with his passion for the programme, he also became more motivated to engage in extracurricular activities. Although during his undergraduate studies he did not feel prepared to take on new challenges — even experiencing impostor syndrome at times — the transition to the second cycle gave him a new perspective on participating in initiatives beyond the classroom. “Even when my undergraduate studies started going well, I still did not feel confident enough to do things outside classes. It was in the first year of my Master’s that I sat down with myself and thought: you have two years to take advantage of all the opportunities university offers,” he recalls, highlighting that Técnico provides numerous opportunities, from participating in programmes such as ATHENS to getting involved in events like the Technological Engineering Journeys (JET).

At JET, he joined the IT support team and was responsible for solving website-related issues before and during the event, contributing to the creation of customised solutions according to the needs of companies and participants. He emphasises that throughout the experience he gained a new perspective on human relationships within the organisation of this type of initiative, while also developing knowledge in logistics — such as understanding deadlines — and communication.

This year I thought: ‘I need to challenge myself.’ It has been difficult, but it has brought many rewards. It has been very fulfilling.

José Oliveira, Master’s student in Telecommunications and Informatics Engineering

In addition to JET, he also decided to participate in the BEST Entrepreneurship Experience together with Afonso Mendes and Tiago Videira. During the event, teams were challenged by companies such as Navictus to reflect on real-world problems and create innovative solutions. In the end, their team, Bee Vision, won the competition with the project NetCatch. José Oliveira was responsible for presenting the project pitch. Reflecting on the experience, he highlights that it made him more aware of the importance of factors such as the structure of a business model. “It was a very enriching experience, and I feel motivated to challenge myself again in the future through extracurricular activities like this,” he says.

Although he had never previously considered following a path related to entrepreneurship, the student explains that this experience changed the way he thinks. “When creating startups, the worst that can happen is that things do not work out, but you still gain experience, gain a story, and develop personally. You faced a challenge, and you lose nothing from trying,” he says.

Looking ahead, he keeps several possibilities open, including continuing his academic journey through a PhD, working at a company, or even creating his own startup.