Antonio "Tony" Salangsang Jr. brings to his studies at SJSU Professional Development a plethora of great experiences. His background includes 12 years inside the military, working in electronics and communications for the US Air Force. Tony recalls how his father worked "outside" a military base in the Philippines right after WWII eventually joining the US Navy and staying for 30 years.

While inside the Air Force, Tony was assigned for a time to a base in Biloxi, Mississippi where as late as 1971 he recalls seeing a sign in a launderette window, which read "Whites Only". No, that did not refer to a preference for white clothes over colored clothes, as he initially thought! Fortunately, Tony never felt racial discrimination toward him, personally. He escaped what playwright Neal Simon called the "Biloxi Blues"!

Outside the military, Tony's corporate experience included 13 years with DMC Stratex in Silicon Valley where he last served as Director of Manufacturing. "In the performance evaluations that I wrote for those under my supervision," Tony relates, "I always recommended continued education courses even when I didn't always take my own good advice." While one is employed, the corporation can help with tuition costs. Even when Tony saw staff being downsized, however, he thought he was too busy for his own professional development.

"But it's easy to be in denial," Tony says. "I've been there! You see a company downsized from 600 employees to 300 to 200 and you say, 'it probably won't happen to me. I have options!' and then downsizing comes to your door."

What to do about it? In Tony's case it's a matter of moving forward. Building on his manufacturing management background, he is moving toward certification in SJSU's Purchasing and Supply Chain Management program. "It would have been difficult to find a course here and a course there at another school, etc. but one day, while shopping at Fry's Electronics, I found the course catalog for SJSU's Professional Development courses. It was all there for me - from courses in purchasing fundamentals to supply chain project operations management. The certificate program is good. The instructors are excellent and expert in their field. It brings it all together."

Confident that supply chain management will build on his experience and provide a link to his career goals, Tony is working to bring increased knowledge and skills to the right employer.