Psychology UNNES-The Psychology Study Program of Universitas Negeri Semarang held an Immersion Study program for IUP students. Rizky Taj’riya and Erlin Yustiyanti, usually called Taj and Erlin, who are currently 6th-semester IUP Psychology students of UNNES, had the opportunity to join the Immersion Study program at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD). At first, Taj and Erlin received this offer from Mrs. Liftiah, S.Psi., M.Si., Ph.D., Psychologist, one of the lecturers in the Psychology Study Program.
The Immersion Study is one of the flagship programs organized by the Psychology Study Program of UNNES and is mandatory for IUP students. This flagship program aims to give students direct learning experiences abroad and broaden their knowledge about cross-cultural psychology practices. In this Immersion Study, Taj and Erlin had responsibilities as assistant trainers at the Institute of Leadership, Innovation, and Advanced at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (ILIA UBD). In the internship application process, Taj and Erlin went through the same steps as applying for internships in Indonesian companies. The first step was sending an internship application and CV to ILIA UBD via email. Then, the manager carried out an assessment until the acceptance stage, without an interview. Taj and Erlin communicated with ILIA UBD only by email. The requirements included language ability and experience related to the chosen field. Taj and Erlin met these requirements because they had supporting experience for the internship position and knowledge related to Neuro Leadership.
During the internship, Taj and Erlin did various activities such as writing reports, making planning documents for their internship period, and even delivering presentations and training about leadership to the Student Council of the School of Business and Economics. Taj also shared some of his daily challenges, such as having to walk for thirty minutes every day to the office, and still having to write reports after working hours. However, Taj and Erlin went through all of this with joy and gratitude, because not everyone gets the same opportunity, especially considering the high costs. Regarding financing, the internship carried out by Taj and Erlin was fully funded by themselves without financial support from the campus. That is why, with high motivation, Taj and Erlin stayed enthusiastic to carry out the internship program despite any challenges.
Taj shared several tips for students who also dream of doing internships abroad. The tips include: first, language skills do not have to be perfect, but it is important to speak properly and correctly so you can communicate well. Second, try joining organizations, which can strengthen your CV. Having organizational experience will increase the chance of being accepted for internships in both domestic and international companies. This was also true for Taj, who had experience as the head of HIMA, and Erlin, who was the coordinator of the Girls’ Scout division at the faculty level. The last tip is to prepare the budget early. Since the internship required self-funding and the cost is not small, it is important for students who want to intern abroad to prepare financially as early as possible.
Besides talking about the internship, Taj also shared his experiences living in Brunei, which gave him culture shock but also enjoyment. He felt that Brunei is a relatively quiet country, even on working days, as only one or two cars could be seen on the streets in that area. That is why they never experienced traffic jams, and public transportation was also very rare.
Taj shared a valuable lesson he learned: “The most valuable lesson is to just believe that in every effort we have fought for, there will always be something good that makes the effort not in vain. Even if at first we think it is useless, later in time our struggles will bear fruit and we can enjoy the results,” he said in an interview. Taj also gave a message to students who are still studying: “My message is: study well. Never think that assignments are only to be finished. Knowledge, projects, and assignments will become your initial capital to be seen by recruiters, so don’t waste your time in college. Do your assignments, join organizations, and participate in competitions seriously, because all those experiences and all the struggles will not be useless and will be rewarded later when you even forget about the struggles you went through,” said Taj as his message and motivation to fellow students.
The spirit and big dreams carried by Taj and Erlin represent one of the hopes of organizing this Immersion Study program. It is meant to encourage students to develop their potential and also serve as preparation when they graduate from the Psychology Study Program of Universitas Negeri Semarang, so they can compete both nationally and internationally.
