Bandung- Higher education is the highest level for students to build and face the future. By entering college, students are expected to be able to develop as someone ready to enter the actual world. Students are forged, directed, and shaped in such a way as to answer all the challenges in the future. However, not all students have the same motivation and goals in making career choices, which can create confusion about the path they take. In some cases, students need guidance to prepare what provisions must be brought in pursuing a career. Therefore, the Mechanical Engineering Student Association (HMM) of Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (FMAE), organized a program to serve and assist students in career preparation. On 24 November 2023, HMM held a program, “M-elayani Persiapan Karier” with the theme Navigating post-graduate life with PT Isuzu Astra Motor Indonesia. This program aims to provide insight and knowledge, especially to FMAE students and generally to external ITB students.

“M-elayani Persiapan Karier“: Navigating post-graduate life with PT Isuzu Astra Motor Indonesia” presented the audience with many benefits to getting ready for a career in the world of work, especially in the industrial world. This program consisted of talk show sessions, material presentations, Q&A, and even workshops such as CV Review, Mock-up Interviews, and Exclusive Coaching led directly by the Human Capital & Corporate Services Division Head of PT Isuzu Astra Motor Indonesia. Meanwhile, the talk show session and material presentation were delivered by excellent FMAE ITB graduates now working as part of PT Isuzu Astra Motor Indonesia.

The speakers who filled the event were FMAE alumni, namely Hans Kurniawan (2011 Mechanical Engineering Alumni) – Purchasing Supplier Management Dept Head, Yusuf Ginanjar (207 Mechanical Engineering Alumni) – Products & Cast Planning Dept Head, Ferdian Cahya Lingga P. (M17) – Parts Center SPV, and M. Isra Aulia (M17) – Production SPV. These professionals who have been in the manufacturing industry delivered material about their pioneering career experiences, starting from studying at FMAE to working at Astra.

During the talk show session featuring three speakers, they disclosed the motivations behind their entry into and engagement with the manufacturing industry. Hans and Isra’s aspiration to join FTMD ITB was ingrained in them since childhood. It originated from a passion for vehicles, leading them to delve into the knowledge offered by FMAE ITB, eventually shaping it into a primary career goal. Isra emphasized that the course has been immensely supportive and is a fundamental foundation for the manufacturing industry. Nonetheless, he noted that the practical application might be somewhat indirect in the professional world.

“When you get a job, the knowledge and skills gained during your studies at FMAE can build a sense or become an automatic mindset in dealing with a problem.”

Aside from the hard skills needed to sustain work, soft skills are also essential in teamwork. According to Ferdi, the way to get these soft skills is from campus life, how students can become problem solvers, leading skills, creativity, and others.

Hans also added that an engineer is a problem solver, as he was taught in lectures about solving problems from various points of view. He says, “It’s not a matter of whether the course is used, but the basic thinking is beneficial in the professional world.”

In this session, Hans also talked about the manufacturing industry’s opportunities and sustainability: “The manufacturing and automotive market in Indonesia is very settled; it continues to grow along with the times. Even during the pandemic, the manufacturing industry continues to run, which makes the automotive world a privilege.”

At the end of the session, Hans conveyed conclusions that the audience could apply as a foundation and reference in crafting their future careers. Hans especially told fresh graduates that when entering the professional world, take your time getting things; a process must be passed.

“Enjoy the journey of finding your character’s identity both daily and professionally. In the process, you must always be thirsty to learn because learning will never stop even though you are still a student or have become an engineer,” he concluded.

With the presentation by professionals in M-elayani Persiapan Karier: Navigating post-graduate life with PT Isuzu Astra Motor Indonesia, they taught the audience not to hesitate to have ambitions, set objectives, and see opportunities because when opportunities come, they are well-prepared to take the opportunity and steadily pursue a career step by step until ambitions and dreams are not just wishful thinking.

created by Adji Riksa