Yogyakarta, September 22nd 2023─Having alumni spread in various fields, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM held a discussion forum entitled “Post-Grad Transition: Preparation for the World of Work” on Friday (22/9). This discussion brought together alumni of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences class of 1988 (KAFGAMA 88) who have been in the world of work, both in the government and private sectors. Some of the alumni who attended included Prof. Drs. Anwar Sanusi, MPA, Ph.D., Anung Anindita, Easy Masita, Lestarijati Dyah S, S. Kom, FX. Bambang Kusuma Prihandono, S.Sos., MA, and Nandang Haris, SIP, M.P.P.
Starting the discussion forum, the Dean of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM, Dr. Wawan Mas’udi, appreciated KAFGAMA 88 for providing educational scholarships for FISIPOL UGM students. Since 2019 until now, KAFGAMA 88 has distributed 72 scholarships to FISIPOL students with a total scholarship value of more than 400 million rupiah. This year there are 8 active Fisipol students who receive scholarships from KAFGAMA 88. Wawan also positively welcomed this discussion forum because it can prepare students and fresh graduates in entering the world of work. According to him, this discussion is in line with FISIPOL’s efforts through the Career Development Center (CDC) to facilitate students and alumni in achieving the competencies needed in the world of work. “I hope that later we can hold small forums or workshops in accordance with student interests,” said Wawan.
The issue highlighted in this forum was the relevance of educational background to employment. One of them was presented by Essy Masita, an alumnus of Sociatri (now PSDK) who dared to enter the world of fashion, a field that according to her has no connection with her undergraduate education background. In front of the students, Essy advised that passion will continue to develop over time. “For example, if someone feels that they have the wrong major, don’t ever think like that. Do your best because in this complex world, ethics and soft skills will lead to success,” Essy explained. This was echoed by Mahesti Hasanah, a lecturer at the Department of Politics and Government (DPP) at FISIPOL UGM. According to her, the “wrong major” issue can actually be the beginning of motivation to find out what you really want.
Also in attendance was Prof. Drs. Anwar Sanusi, M.P.A., Ph.D., Secretary General of the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia. Anwar said that the trend of the world of work for undergraduate and diploma graduates is still dominated in urban areas. The challenge that is then often experienced by students is the dilemma between choosing a job that suits their interests or what is trending. In the digital era, job opportunities in this field dominate, so students and new graduates must be adaptive to the skills needed by the industry. This kind of discussion forum is expected to provide an overview of the complexity of the world of work for students and new graduates, especially in sectors that are very dynamic.