Bandung – The Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (FTMD) ITB once again demonstrated its commitment to preparing its graduates to compete on the international stage. At an event titled “Building a Career in the Middle East” held on Friday, August 2, 2024, FTMD ITB brought together three distinguished alumni who have successfully built careers at prominent companies in the Middle East. This event is a testament to how FTMD ITB continues to support and equip its graduates with strong global knowledge and networks.

The event featured Isham Sudardjat (Mechanical Engineering ITB alumnus, class of 1992), now a Senior Engineer at Aramco, Eko Arief W (Aeronautical Engineering ITB alumnus, class of 1998), a Reliability Engineer at Qatar Airways, and Bakhtiar Sutanto (Mechanical Engineering ITB alumnus, class of 1995), a Senior Piping Engineer at QatarEnergy. These three speakers shared their invaluable insights and experiences in pursuing careers in the oil and gas, as well as aviation industries in the Middle East.

The event aimed to provide students with direct insights from alumni who have hands-on experience in the oil and gas, and aviation industries in the Middle East. It also offered a unique opportunity for networking with alumni and professionals, opening new doors and expanding their career networks.

The alumni sharing session was opened by Isham Sudardjat, who is now a Senior Engineer at Aramco. He shared career tips for working in the Middle East, starting by introducing Aramco, a major oil and gas company based in Saudi Arabia, and discussing his role and contributions as a Senior Engineer there.

In his tips, Isham emphasized several key points: applicants should have at least five years of career experience in Indonesia, sharpen their English language skills, gain extensive work experience, actively seek desired job openings, prepare a solid CV, and be confident in speaking clearly.

He also discussed the pros and cons of working in the Middle East, such as better, tax-free income, but also the challenge of extreme heat during the summer.

His current career is supported by the mastery of concepts and knowledge he gained at FTMD ITB. He stated that every course studied at FTMD has the potential to become a career path in the future.

The second speaker, Bakhtiar Sutanto, shared his experiences in preparing for a career in the global market. He highlighted the importance of possessing additional skills beyond GPA. Soft skills such as leadership, communication, conflict management, and the ability to work in multicultural environments are crucial. He also emphasized the importance of networking with alumni, students, and other professionals. Bakhtiar reminded participants to prepare a strong CV and build connections with relevant people in the industry.

Bakhtiar’s statements were reinforced by Eko Arief during his presentation. As a Reliability Engineer at Qatar Airways, Eko revealed that much of the information about his current and previous jobs came from his network of friends, rather than from job portals. “I got my job through my friends,” he said. Eko also shared his experience working in various aerospace industries globally and stressed the importance of mastering analytical and statistical skills, knowledge of databases, and the ability to use data analysis tools like Microsoft Power BI and AI applications for predictive maintenance.

This FTMD Alumni Sharing event once again highlighted the strength of the FTMD ITB alumni network, which spans across the globe. With support from alumni, students are not only prepared for careers in Indonesia but also for achieving success on the international stage.