Josh Devine

GCEEF ’18, MSEE ’19

What made you choose to apply/enroll in the UW Bothell Graduate Certificate in Electrical Engineering Foundations?

During my mechanical engineering undergrad program, I became interested in mechatronics and control theory. Mechatronics is a discipline that incorporates electronic systems to control mechanical ones. I knew I wanted to pursue a master’s degree and it made sense that either a mechanical engineering or an electrical engineering would benefit my interests. I found out about the electrical engineering program at UW Bothell and started to apply to the master’s program, but then learned I would need to complete the certificate program first.

What were some of the highlights of your experience as a student?

I had a lot of little “a ha!” moments throughout the certificate program when either background information would be filled in for things that were glossed over during undergrad, or misunderstandings would be corrected, or material would be presented in a slightly different way than I had seen previously. These moments were always wonderful and for me the highlight of the program.

What advice do you have for others regarding the career search during and post graduate certificate completion?

UW Bothell has excellent career counseling resources. Make use of them early. They can help you with building profiles for different job search related websites, fine tuning your resume, practice interviews, salary negotiation advice, and many other things. Many workshops are held covering these topics and there are also people available for one on one meetings. You’ll also have access to career fairs on both the Bothell and Seattle campuses.

What has been the most challenging part of being a student?

The late classes were a bit rough at times. Having four hours of straight lecture ending at 10 p.m. was taxing. Much coffee was had, and the professors were all pretty good about staying energetic.

What advice do you have for future students?

The certificate program does take a lot of time and effort but as long as you stay on top of your school work, you’ll make it through. Also, ask questions. Seek out help from your peers and professors if you need it. One great thing about the certificate program is it combines people from various backgrounds all with a common interest. That combined with the small class size can lead to a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips.

What are you currently doing?

I recently completed my electrical engineering master’s degree at UW Bothell, and thanks to the intensity of the certificate program I was well prepared to handle the work load of the master’s program. As of today, I’m happy to share that I’ve accepted an offer to work at Robodub as a Hardware and Firmware Engineer.

Any other thoughts you want to share?

If you are considering the graduate certificate program, I would highly recommend it. It will be difficult, but it will be worth it. You will gain both knowledge and work habits that will greatly benefit you in whatever you choose to do after.