Jek Oji Cruz Mena

I earned my Bachelor of Science in Game Development in 2017 and published two small indie games (hobby projects) before life took me in another direction. For the next six years I built a career in corporate compliance at Manila Electric Company, where my primary responsibilities focused on navigating regulatory requirements and organizational processes.

While compliance was my main role, I often found myself improving the way I or my team worked by creating small automations and workflow tools with Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) and Microsoft Power Platform (PowerApps, PowerBi, Power Automate). These side projects were never the headline of my job description, yet they became a meaningful part of how I contributed, showing me that even in highly structured environments the thoughtful use of technology can reduce friction and make people's work easier.

Over time I came to see that the lessons I was learning in compliance about communication, management, legal frameworks, and process discipline were not separate from software development but deeply connected to it. Writing code may look like a technical exercise, but building usable systems requires the same appreciation for context, constraints, and people. Programming has remained part of my journey not as a forgotten skill but as a craft I continue to practice alongside my broader professional growth.

Now I am back, having completed my Master's in Software Engineering with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence at Torrens University Melbourne, with graduation set for late 2025 or early 2026. The program exposed me to a wide spectrum of subjects including Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Intelligent Systems, but much of the coursework leaned heavily toward project management and research framed through different lenses such as cybersecurity, analytics, and software development management.

To keep my technical skills active, I focused on Python (Google Colab, Jupyter) and built projects such as the Stimuli-Driven Behavior Tree Framework (SDBT-Framework) and Typing Defense. Every devlog entry, line of code, and debugging challenge became part of rediscovering and sharpening the craft of programming that I had never truly let go of. I also work with Large Language Models openly and deliberately, treating them not as shortcuts but as tools that accelerate learning and allow me to design stronger, more adaptive systems.

Today, I am working on Voice Chain Reaction, a voice-driven game that blends my renewed passion for game development with AI systems. This project represents the bridge between where I began, what I learned along the way, and the kind of work I want to keep creating in the future.