Pursuing quality education to access a good job

Pursuing quality education to access a good job

Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Many parents expect their children to have a bright future by
having access to a good job after graduating from university.

However, completing a course of study at a university is not
necessarily a guarantee of getting a good job.

In today's global economy, more companies are now inclined to
seek prospective employees with international-standard
proficiency in a foreign language. Thus, having access to quality
education has become a prerequisite for job opportunity.

Even though not all universities in Indonesia are bad,
graduates of universities that use an international-standard
curriculum feel more confident over their job prospects. It is no
secret that many graduates of national universities are perceived
to be less marketable and have weaker bargaining power in the job
market compared with those who have graduated from overseas
universities.

This might partly explain why many affluent parents send their
children to study abroad, especially in developed countries like
the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, the
Netherlands, Australia or Zealand. Neighboring countries,
Singapore and Malaysia, have emerged as important alternatives.

Studying abroad can give students a chance, not only to pursue
quality education, broaden their horizons and learn a foreign
language, but also to boost their self-esteem.

The number of students from Indonesia studying at particular
countries has increased thanks to an international education
system and curriculum. A university degree from these countries
is recognized and accepted internationally.

New Zealand, for instance, offers world-class institutions
that produce graduates that have high-level practical as well as
theoretical competency and a strong international focus.

Most universities in New Zealand, such as the University of
Auckland, University of Waikato and University of Canterbury, use
a British-based education system that encourages students to
produce new, independent thinking, exploration and research.

"The number of international students, including from
Indonesia, choosing New Zealand as a destination for secondary
and tertiary education has increased every year," said Djuned
Harun, acting post manager of New Zealand trade and enterprise at
the New Zealand Embassy in Jakarta.

Currently, around 1,200 students from Indonesia are studying
in different universities in New Zealand.

At least 250 students from Indonesia enroll at universities in
New Zealand each year, with Information Technology (IT) and
management being popular subjects, said Djuned Harun.

America remains the most preferred destination for Indonesian
students studying overseas. The number of Indonesian students in
the United States is currently between 10,000 and 11,000. The
country has 3,360 accredited universities.

But with regard to the pursuit of quality education, overseas
study is no longer the only choice, especially with the
appearance of national-plus universities.

The national-plus colleges are considered better than most
national universities, thanks to their international education
system and curriculum. Graduates of these universities are
expected to have high academic qualifications, enabling them
successfully to enter the job market.

They offer degree and nondegree programs under tight
supervision from well-known foreign universities. The
universities also use English as a medium of instruction.

These universities include Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH),
the Swiss German University, Monash College at Jakarta (MCJ) and
the Gandhi Institute of Business and Technology (GIBT). They
adopt an international-standard system by collaborating with
prestigious overseas universities.

GIBT, for instance, collaborates with Charles Sturt University
(CSU), Australia, to ensure that its graduates have a high level
of theoretical and practical competency.

The institute offers a variety of programs, including bachelor
degree programs in business, IT and marketing communication.

Students at GIBT are expected to be better-prepared for their
working lives because the college cooperates directly with
industry and commerce, to better understand the needs of the
workplace. "We follows a system used by the CSU," said GIBT
Principal Michael J. Goodwin.

Meanwhile, Universitas Pelita Harapan offers academy,
undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

The university emphasizes practical knowledge to give
its graduates the ability to innovate and to develop their
knowledge and skills before plunging into careers.

Its curriculum is modified by particular aspects of the
curriculum from overseas universities, thanks to its
collaboration with prestigious universities from several
countries, including the United States, Germany, the Netherlands,
Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the UK and France.

The Swiss German University offers bachelor's and master's
degrees, with students having the opportunity to continue their
studies in Germany after two years of study in Indonesia.

SGU's curriculum is based on the German model, which allows
students not only to receive theory but also balanced practical
experience.

Subjects offered at SGU are mostly applied sciences, including
mechatronics, information technology, business administration and
hotel and tourism studies.

Graduates of SGU are expected to be skilled professionals to
fill the need for qualified graduates in the country, and,
therefore, students are required to attend internship programs.

Many wealthy parents also want their children to have access
to quality education at an early age by sending them either to
international schools or national-plus schools.

In addition to exposure to a wider variety of experiences,
students can gain the kind of high-quality education important
for their future thanks to a supportive educational system,
academic programs and curriculum.

Initially, international schools were established mainly to
provide education for expatriate children. However, starting
around three years ago, several schools were opened to local
children as long as they met admission criteria. Students who do
not speak English but wish to study at international schools that
use English as the language of instruction are required to attend
classes in English as a second language.

At several international schools, the use of an international-
standard curriculum starts from nursery level.

Gandhi Memorial International School (GMIS), for instance,
follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum from
Switzerland. The school educates children from nursery school (at
three years of age) to IB diploma level (18).

Curricula based on the IB diploma are considered more
practical, research-oriented and more related to lifelong
learning.

Several other schools that have adopted the IB system include
Jakarta International School (JIS) and the British International
School (BIS).

Others base their curriculum on their respective national
school curriculum, such as the Australian International School
(AIS) with its Australian National Curriculum Profiles.

The IB curriculum is also implemented in the primary and
secondary year program at several national-plus schools, such as
Sekolah Global Jaya and Sekolah Pelita Harapan.

Even though national-plus schools were established only
recently, they are increasingly popular with both local and
expatriate parents.