Global market, my working place

“Coming from Manado, when I first decided to come to Bandung and study at ITHB, it never occurred to me that one day I would be able to work with a prestigious company in another country. But here I am now, starting a global career and doing an exciting project for a high-tech client with 40 fellows of Harapan Bangsa alumni at Accenture, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I am so grateful that my choice has led me to a campus that helped me build the competence, character, and commitment to making a difference in the global marketplace.”

Accenture is currently the world’s largest management consulting, information technology and outsourcing company and has become one of the occupants of the Fortune Global 500. With approximately 261,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture combines its vast experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, to collaborate with its clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. Its clients include large private, listed and Fortune Global 100 companies. Accenture generated net revenues of US$27.9 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2012.

It is obvious why Stefi, and many other fresh university graduates, are very eager to be able to work with such a global company. Working with a global consulting firm would expose young professionals with world class clients, global best practice, work culture, state-of-the-art technology and knowledge, and networks with colleagues from many countries. It will unquestionably jumpstart their career and put them in the fast track.

It is very fortunate that during her study at ITHB, Stefie was prepared for such an opportunity. On top of the curriculum that she completed in the Industrial Engineering Program at ITHB, the Career Resource Center (CRC) at ITHB providedher with all career related programs that proved to give her competitive advantages. She was given training on career roadmap and career planning, resume writing, interviewing, professional presentation, and practical computer skills. The campus even required her to take professional training and certification from SAP (world’s largest ERP business software), that help her to master two modules: SAP Introduction. and Business Process Integration.

Ultimately, CRC’s established network with Accenture that has allowed Harapan Bangsa final year students to be hired by the firm through on-campus recruitment. By June 2013, Accenture has come seven times to ITHB to recruit its fresh graduates. In total, there are 47 Harapan Bangsa graduates from various study programs who have been recruited by Accenture for various large projects. Most were placed in Malaysia and six were recruited for consulting positions in Jakarta.

When asked about how well ITHB graduates meet Accenture’s expectation from fresh graduates, the recruitment manager from Malaysia responded: “We are looking for young intelligent people who have the right character and attitude, those who can work together effectively and are genuinely eager to learn more. In general, we could say that ITHB graduates we have hired so far are easy to work with, not only because they are well trained for professional jobs available in the global market, but also because they knew that the right attitude and character are keys to success in the long run.”

The manager’s comment corroborates what Stefi stated recently, “Even until today, I never stop learning and trying to adapt working at such a big company as Accenture. We just can not afford complacency. Along with 46 of my colleagues from ITHB, we keep helping, encouraging, and giving support to each other just like we were at ITHB. It just so happens that we live in apartments in the same neighborhood Pantai Hill, Central KL. Such support and sharing attitude among Harapan Bangsa alumni here at Accenture is very helpful, since we must keep increasing capabilities in the way we think and work to be able to give best services for our current client, Malaysia’s largest telecommunication company, in this major and very challenging project.

I am so grateful that God has led me to study at an extraordinary campus with very positive and supportive atmosphere and culture like what I found in ITHB. I learned not only from the lecturers in the classrooms but also from all the people I meet everyday there. They are successful professionals, business leaders and academics who have become role models for me and put very strong foundations for all the students, in terms of competence, character and goals and purpose in life. I have no doubt that I can realize my career dream and even push it further. Global market is now my work place!”