Wednesday, December 23, 2015

What Do Industries Need from University Students?

Yesterday, I attended a workshop held by the faculty where I work for – Faculty of Economics and Business, UNPAD. There were two speakers from industry i.e. from Bank Jawa Barat & Banten (BJB) and Mediatrac, Inc. The first institution is banking while the second is big data analysis company. They delivered two things namely testimony and industry’s hope from FEB Unpad’s students. The two speakers, namely Mr. Isa and Mr. Regi Wahyu, said that there are at least four things that firms need from college students. The following paragraphs explain the points.


The first thing needed by BJB from the students is leadership. The fresh grads who have a good leadership skill will be able to manage the firm well. This skill can be mastered through integrated learning both in class and outside the class. The university curriculum needs to accommodate industry requirement and thanfully my study program has been implementing it. Leadership skill can be attained by joining university’s extracurricular or student organization. The students who have experiences in organization shall later have plus point when they work at any firm. Aside, they will have more opportunity to be positioned in the higher level of management. The students who lack this skill shall find some sort of difficulty to get higher position.


The second thing that is required by industry from university students is communication skill especially communicating in foreign language such as English. I would say that most of Indonesian college students have this barrier. Unable to properly communicate in English shall later hamper the carrier of the employees. Therefore, university needs to let students get more English exposure. This can be done by carrying out exchange program and by providing scholarship to have short course or study abroad. Aside from formal approach mentioned, English can be studied in communities, too. I believe that learning at regular basis is the best approach and we can do it at English clubs or communities. At BJB, English is definitely required when employees communicate with investors from overseas.

The third most important thing is appearance. This does not mean that successful students are pretty much the handsome and gorgeous ones. This means that to keep ourselves confident in front of people is indeed crucial. The skill such as table manner skill is needed, too. In order the students to learn this, university is highly recommended provide table manner course or maybe golf course and the like. Anyway, this must not always in the curriculum, so the students may learn it in campus organization.

The fourth thing is network. This means that during the study, the students are better to build network and link. This is done by interacting with as many people as possible. Again, this can be done in campus organization. Therefore, joining campus organization is a-must-thing to do by students. Mr. Regi called it beyond the textbook.

Those are the points that I noted from the workshop. I personally agree with them because the practitioners have different point of view from us. They are able to see the angle that the lecturers or academicians cannot. The points they delivered are really inspiration for us to improve our education.       

 

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Don’t have access to reputable journal? No-worries!

It’s an obligation of university students and lecturers to write paper or any scientific writing. Lecturers or instructors have more work i.e. submitting their paper into journal, meaning that their research is published and known by others. This done as a way to develop knowledge in certain field they are in. Anyway, both reading and submitting paper need references we commonly call simply journal. Yet, because it’s costly, not every campus here in Indonesia subscribes journal, especially the reputable one. Here are some tips for you to get journal that you need for your research.

Firstly, try contact your friends, relatives or anyone (for example on facebook) who have access to the journal that you wish to read. They must be college students or lecturers or anyone whom you think has access. The key is, just open your mind. You may send him a link and ask him politely. This works out, I tried several times during my research.

Secondly, read the abstract and find the author’s data through internet (thanks to Facebook and Linkedin). Abstract is always available at no cost. It is much better if you could find his email. You need to email him that you desperately need his journal (mention the title). This usually takes sometimes. Just use a proper English when sending email to any professor or academician overseas. Consider his title so you may great him professor preceding his name. This may work out, too. But don’t despair if he does not reply or email you the journal.Keep trying!

I have personally done these two tips and thank Allah I got the journals that I needed. So, please try them out and good luck!

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

One thing I Learn from My Toddler

Kautsar, my son, is now 21 months old. He Insha Allah will be two years old in this coming September. My wife and I have a different portion in nurturing him. For sure, she allocates more time, energy and everything to look after our little boy. As many other toddlers, Kautsar is now able to do several things and say some words, especially animal sounds (onomatopoeia). We exactly realize that every kid grows in a slightly different phase. Some grows fast some does not. So, for the moment, we both never really push Kautsar in terms of any skill or anything he must have. But, one thing that my wife successfully trains him is to put back his own cap whenever we come back from the mosque for praying. 
To my knowledge, Kautsar has always been begging me to go to mosque since around six months ago. Before then, I sometimes took him with me to the mosque, too. As always, I wear a cap on my head for praying, mostly the white one called topi haji. To me, I just feel comfortable to wear this. We do the same thing to Kautsar. Yet, he sometimes puts off his own cap when he arrives at the mosque. But when we go back home, I usually put again the cap so he knows that he must wear it. 
Since few days ago, Kautsar has been doing a funny yet rejoicing thing that is putting the cap back to its place. As I come into the house from the mosque, I pretty much let him down. Kautsar directly walks to the shelf. He then opens the shelf (level two), and puts back his cap. There are four levels of the shelf and he is never wrong in opening, always level two where the cap and the like are put.
To me and my wife, what Kautsar does is somewhat entertaining. We often couldn’t believe it but it’s true. The way he puts his cap into the shelf is straightforward and fast -- opens, puts, closes, leaves it. 
If the kid his age can do a right and tidy way to his own belonging, why can't we? 
May Allah bless my family and yours. Thanks for reading.   

Friday, April 17, 2015

Struggle

When things are not easy, be grateful!

There are lots of people out there who are given myriad of facilities, gadgets, supports, and everything by their parents. But there are also people who must strive for everything they need, they need to work very hard just have something to eat that day. These people often have to sweat just to get to some place by feet. Well, which side are you on? If you are on the latter, congrats! God wants you struggle in this life. God will show you later the beauty of the strive. I would say that, the sweetest thing after sugar and your loved one is struggle. Bunch of people have shown us that they were in a tough situation, prior to their success. So, no reason for complaining, keep up and follow what God wants, He will guide us along the way, God willing.

(a dawn note)