Eco-marathon sets the pace for young engineer’s career

MANILA, Philippines - At 22, Jericho Paulo O. Rivera is the youngest engineer in the team that manages the inspection of Shell Philippines Exploration (SPEX) BV’s Malampaya natural gas platform off Palawan’s coast and onshore gas plant in Batangas. The mechanical engineering graduate of Mapua Institute of Technology was given the challenging task of maintaining the high-tech facilities fueling power stations in Luzon.

Being able to accomplish such important tasks was one reason SPEX hired him last year. Co-building an energy-efficient car for the Shell Eco-Marathon (SEM) also helped him get employed.

SEM is a Shell-sponsored yearly contest on the most energy-efficient engine. Its first Asian edition was held in Malaysia in June 2010 with engineering students from three Philippine universities participating to represent the country. Mapua’s team, led by Rivera, put the country in ninth place in the prototype category out of a list of 47 participants after its eco-car, Agimat, logged the equivalent of 241 kilometers per liter of gasoline.

Rivera and his team made important achievements in the SEM. They set the first Philippine record for the best mileage and won a safety award for having the best safety design and practice among other teams. The Agimat was equipped with a fire extinguisher, used a roll cage to protect the driver in case the car overturned, and had efficient brakes. Team members also attended a fuel-handling seminar from Shell Philippines and a road-safety seminar. 

More than the accolades, Rivera believes the SEM experience develops the character required in a building a career. He fondly recalls the time when he and his team were joining events, doing interviews and appearing on TV while building the car for the SEM.

“That taught me how to communicate,” he says in an interview at the Shell office in Makati. “Before, you wouldn’t make me talk like this or have me present something in front of people. I was a very shy kid. But eventually, we were taught how to present and how to communicate well to relay the message of our project.”

Shell also sponsored a skills training, including first aid and safe driving, for all the members of the Philippine teams that competed in SEM Asia.

The self-confidence and communication skills Rivera developed proved useful when he presented his thesis on Agimat at a research colloquium of Mapua. The panel of judges for the contest for the best masteral and doctoral thesis was impressed. They ranked the Agimat thesis — the only undergraduate paper — as third best.

When SPEX was hiring for new engineers around April 2011, Rivera was among those who applied and eventually got the post. His communication skills proved to be helpful when he took a test, a workshop where candidates had to defend his solution to a case study before a panel of executives.

With Rivera in the promising Mapua team were Kenneth John P. Caraig, Willor J. Garcia, Jeferson N. Nanao, Charles Alviar, Albert Janwin Celera Cudal and Karl Anthony D. Go.  He had nothing but good words about his SEM team and the opportunity that brought him where he is now.

“Building the car taught me how to be technically good in designing and how to manage my teammates,” says Rivera.

More importantly, Rivera learned about teamwork.

“We were two teams. One was in charge of the engine and how to run the car. The other was in charge of the exterior,” says Rivera. “Each of us had his own specialization in developing the car. One was in charge of the computer designing of the car, another in charge of fabricating. There was also one computing for the engine. It was really a group effort.”

The Agimat design and propulsion system was adopted by succeeding Mapua teams for the SEM Asia 2011 and 2012.

Rivera also takes pride in being part of SEM as it contributed to the promotion of smarter mobility or the safe, cost-efficient and environmentally friendly transport of people and goods.

Rivera recognizes the important role SEM played in their young lives. “It helped us go to where we are now. All of us have good jobs because of the learning experience from the Eco-marathon,” he says.

To know more about the teams and the Shell Eco-marathon, visit www.shell.com/ecomarathon.