Starting Over With Eddie Mojica: Shifting From Finance to Engineering

If everyone had a friend like Eddie Mojica, the world would truly be a better place. He’s the first to offer if you need help transporting furniture, will be your biggest hypeman in everything, and give you practical advice when you truly need it.

My friendship with Eddie dates back to 2019, when we both were working in retail. Aside from being a great colleague, he was also the one who encouraged me to start my fitness journey. It didn’t take much to convince me to get a gym membership, but it was his empathy and warmth that made me feel comfortable in a setting so anxiety-driven. Since then, I have seen Eddie continue to inspire others to focus on their well-being, mentally and physically.

Eddie’s professional journey is not the straightforward path to success you would assume most would have. He graduated from UCI with a Bachelor’s in Business Economics and then decided to pursue a second Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering right after. It’s certainly not typical (and risky) to go back to school for a second Bachelor’s degree, but for Eddie it made sense.

Take a read into our conversation and learn how he was able to make his career change work in his favor:

You mentioned you got your first Bachelor’s in Business Economics. So what made you decide to pursue that from the start?

I applied to all my college programs through Engineering and UCI was the only school I had gotten accepted as Undeclared. When I accepted my admission, I fully anticipated shifting into the Engineering program. They had let me know that it was extremely competitive and required a 3.5 GPA from certain courses to get in, which felt doable at the time.

When it was time to declare my major, I actually had a pretty low GPA. The department told me that engineering was totally off the table. While that was initially what I wanted to pursue, at the time, I was not sure if I was passionate about engineering. I was interested in the concept of owning a business, and liked the idea of money, as most people do. That’s pretty much what drove me towards the business direction.

Was there a certain reason you had a low GPA when you initially felt it was possible?

When I shifted from high school to college, I did not feel fully prepared for the changes that came with it. My biggest mistake was them telling me lecture attendance was sometimes not required, which I took literally. When you are in high school, classes are mandatory and strictly enforced. In college, some professors make lectures optional, so I just assumed it would not hurt if I didn’t go.

That really bit me in the ass, and my grades were bad to the point that I was on academic probation. That was a lightbulb moment when I realized I could be kicked out if I did not bring my grades up. So I was able to bring my GPA high enough to move out of academic probation, but it limited the options I had as to which major I could declare.

You were initially unsure of how passionate you felt about studying engineering. What convinced you to go back to school again?

Once I graduated, I remember thinking this is where the real world happens where I get my 9 to 5 and just buckle down. When I started looking at the jobs I could get and interviewing, I would see all the cubicles and see everyone looking so content. That just did not sit well with me.

After I got hired at Wells Fargo, I started doing the training for It. I remember talking to my sister, who was an electrical engineer, and telling her “I can’t see myself doing this, I don’t think I love this”. That’s when she told me to go back to school and convinced me to pull the trigger.

How big of an impact did your sister play when motivating you to go back to school?

She definitely gave me the motivation to switch. She pushed the idea that it’s okay to not know what you are going to do with your life. It’s a common struggle that all college students face. It’s important to try new things and see what sticks.

How did you determine if engineering would be a good shift from your economic background?

What made my decision stick was giving myself a contingency. I signed up for community college courses that were geared toward engineering. I told myself that if I did not get straight A’s in the four courses I took, then I would stop the degree to bunker down in the economics world and accept that engineering may not be for me.

I ended up taking the classes and passed with straight A’s. I started pursuing it then and haven’t stopped since.

What kept you motivated in your studies?

Seeing the potential that I’ve had from the start. Saying something and actually doing it hits differently and is truly crazy impactful.

It makes you realize that you can do anything you set your mind to. Once I had a goal in my head, I’d dive in to see how I could achieve it. I told myself that as long as I get straight A’s, I’m going to get the degree, no matter how long it takes or what gets thrown at me. I am going to get the degree.

What has been the most challenging part of this process?

The biggest difficulty through this process was knowing that most people do not do what I had done. Hearing from other college professors from multiple universities saying my case is unique set me back a bit.

I would think to myself, “How could I go down a path that not many people have taken without a roadmap”. Those who get secondary degrees normally pursue it within their similar field. I was doing a complete 360 career switch from business to engineering. While it may sound like it goes hand in hand, in reality, they’re two completely different things.

Knowing that I was doing something very different and finding my own path over time has been the most difficult part thus far.

After knowing you for so many years, I’ve seen you be a mentor to so many others without even recognizing it. How have you been able to continue giving to others while trying to form your own identity for yourself?

I don’t think I have ever intentionally put myself in that position; it has also felt like a role that gets assigned to me without realizing it.

Regardless of age, I’ve connected with people who are older than me and have told me the same things I’ve shared with others. Half the time, I don’t realize that I’m in a mentor position until someone else points it out. It has always worked for me and helped me at the same time.

You’ve had so many roles and experiences that have navigated you as a leader. After maintaining a busy schedule between school and work, what keeps you organized?

I have to confess, I’m not as organized as I’d like to be. I try to keep things separate: work is work and life is life. When I tend to mix those variables together, that’s where I become very unorganized.

The tactic that has helped me the most is writing things down. It’s the best way I can remember things, whether it’s study material or my calendar. I have so much to memorize and keep track of, writing it down helps keep my mind fresh and remember the things in front of me.

Do you think you apply both of your backgrounds in your day to day life?

With my econ degree, the material was more conceptual. A lot of the stuff I had learned in business was through job training.

The main reason I received the job I am at right now is because of my econ background. They were looking for an intern who wanted to learn engineering but could help out with administrative tasks.

Luckily, I had my degree in economics, and it worked out perfectly. At the beginning, my boss took that as being a professional accountant and threw every single accounting task at me, which was hiring, insurance contracts, payroll, timecard management, etc. Once it was thrown at me, I taught myself how to do those tasks and did everything possible to accomplish them.

I was lucky to work with a staff that allowed me to ask questions. I would ask them to walk me through certain things, and half the time I would get people who were willing to help + go above and beyond.

What is the most important quality to have in the workforce?

Patience, for sure. I’ve noticed that a lot of people like to procrastinate or extend their deadlines. Because this is a common trait among many industries, it’s important to have patience. A lot of times you’re trying to get your work done and 9 times out of 10, the reason it isn’t getting done is because someone hasn’t finished a puzzle in the piece.

Another quality is to be dedicated to your craft. Being a solution to a common problem will help you be on your leadership’s radar and be a competitive member of the team. Especially in engineering, technology and codes are always changing, so being passionate about your job will make you a great asset.

What advice would you give someone who is looking to switch careers or maybe even navigate their career journey, assuming they did not know what to do?

My best advice would be to just do it. You don’t want to play the “what if” game. That’s mainly why I did it, I did not want to go down 15 years and wonder what would have happened if I had gotten my engineering degree.

Do whatever makes you happy. If you are not happy right now, then find something that will make you happy.

How could someone determine if that was the right decision for them?

I think that varies from person to person. I can’t say what makes someone happy, but that feeling of joy is universal. For me, it’s knowing that work does not feel like work. It genuinely feels like I’m going in to connect with my peers and working on projects to get things done.

It may not feel like that is possible, but the moments where I love what I’m doing have me believe that this isn’t work. That’s when you know you are in the right spot.

Another way I like to think of it is not getting the Sunday Scaries. When Sunday is about to come to an end and knowing you have to go to the office without the dread feeling, then you’re good.

What does the future look like for you?

My next goal would be to finish my engineering degree by next spring. After that, I will go on to get my field engineer certificate and then my professional engineering license. When you are constructing a building, someone gives an okay that the building is approved and that it is safe for people. This license allows me to be an expert in the field and have the final say in people’s construction plans.

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I hope you have enjoyed my conversation with Eddie Mojica. To learn more about his journey, connect with him here.

To connect with me, you can follow my journey on Instagram or read more of my stories on my website. Follow me on Medium to stay in the loop for future stories.

XOXO, Jessica.