As part of the Independent Campus Competition Program (PKKM) Science Education in 2024, six students of the Science Education Study Program of Yogyakarta State University (UNY) have begun a valuable experience in the Independent Internship in various leading industries and institutions. This internship provides an opportunity for students to be directly involved in the professional world, practice the knowledge they have learned, and develop competencies in a real work environment.
The six students who participated in this internship program were Alfianti Hasanah and Rahmadevi Maslahatunnisa' who interned at SEAMEO QITEP In Science, a science education institution that focuses on developing education in the Southeast Asia region. In addition, Naurah Zauzanit Sarwa, Aisyah Ary Yatma, and Rizko Marcellino Zenda Setyadi underwent an internship at PUDAK Scientific, a leading science education demonstration equipment company in Bandung. Meanwhile, Elza Lisviana took an internship at Trust Training Partner, a training institution in Surabaya that focuses on human resource development.
This Merdeka Mandiri internship is designed for students to gain direct experience in the industry, helping them understand how the knowledge learned on campus can be applied in a professional context. This is important to increase the relevance of graduates in the job market, as well as support the link and match policy between the academic world and the industrial world.
The benefits of this internship are very diverse. Students not only gain insight into the dynamics of the industry, but also develop skills needed in the work environment, such as communication, collaboration, and problem solving. In addition, this internship provides an opportunity to build a professional network that can open doors to future careers. For the industrial world, the presence of student interns is an opportunity to get fresh, innovative talent, while forming mutually beneficial collaborations with educational institutions.
With this internship experience, students are expected to be able to increase their readiness to face global challenges, as well as become competitive and adaptive graduates in various fields of work.