Dallas Engineer Suggests An Advanced Education Keeps You Young
Alex Kretov is an independent engineering consultant, he develops PCB (printed circuit boards). Kretov generates the schematic, layout and assembly drawings, the firmware for the embedded microcontrollers and test hardware and software for remote controls and transceivers for automated drapery systems.
"While I was in high school, I built shortwave radios and antennas. I thought it was interesting to know how something works. At that time, it was my hobby but I became more and more interested," said Kretov, who turned his hobby into a career. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in radio engineering from Odessa State Polytechnic University in Ukraine. "My instructors and parents encouraged me to learn and I did," said Kretov.
"If you are studying for a long time, your brain is active. If you keep your brain active, your brain and body will be kept young," said Kretov who continued his education in the United States by going to the Dallas County Community College District's Richland College and the University of Texas at Dallas for ESOL classes.
"My biggest challenge was going to school and studying. In Ukraine, you cannot work and go to school. At the time I went to school, education was free but I still had to pay living expenses," said Kretov reflecting on the struggles of being an adult student.
"When I finished school I got a job as a control engineer in a metallurgical mining plant. We mined minerals that were used by DuPont, and other companies, to make paint and other substances. The company extracted minerals like titanium oxide, quartz minerals, and zirconium. In working, you get a better understanding of what you learned in school. It is the application that makes it come together. Manufacturing is completely different from formalized education and you need both to succeed," said Kretov.
Robin D. Everson is a native Chicagoan who resides in Dallas, Texas. Her appreciation for art, food, wine, people and places has helped her become a well-respected journalist. A life-long lover of education, Robin seeks to learn and enlighten others about culture. You can find her work at Examiner.com