Multi-cultural experience shaped my career
Julijanta Gunawan found that the multi-cultural environment at Staffordshire University helped give him the contacts and experience to boost his career.
The 39-year-old, who lives in Indonesia, chose to study at Staffordshire because of its global reputation in computing. He now has his own IT business and radio show – and hopes to branch into television in the future.
International career
After graduating in 1997, he returned to Indonesia to work as an analyst at one of the country’s largest banks, but soon moved to Singapore “due to the unstable situation in Indonesia at that time”.
In Singapore, he was employed by the Switzerland-based Society Generale de Surveillance S.A. as a regional application support specialist to support affiliates in the Asia-Pacific region and later in Eastern Europe.
After a few years with SGS S.A. he returned to Indonesia and started his own IT business, which now has multinational clients such as Jacobs Group Engineering, SGS, Shell BV, Total E&P and Bureau Veritas, as well as the British and US embassies and European Union delegates.
He also has a weekly show on Indonesia’s largest radio network where he talks about technology and troubleshoots listeners’ issues.
Student life
Julijanta remembers his time at Staffordshire fondly, especially the fun times he shared with fellow students.
“Of course, the moment that all students are waiting for is the graduation day,” he says. “However, I am proud to have been part of the South-east Asia committee in the Students’ Union while I was studying. We organised a successful South-east Asian party with support from our fellow Asian and European students, especially the Greek and Spanish community.
“Staffordshire’s multi-cultural students provided me with the right connections to tap into Europe and Asia. I found that my year at Staffordshire University gave me exposure to working as a team in a multi-cultural environment and provided a good grounding for my career enhancement.
“Staffordshire University laid a foundation for me to give my very best in everything I do, perform my work professionally with or without supervision, and never give up, as it is possible to solve every problem.”
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