Director General of Housing of the PUPR Ministry, Ir. Iwan Suprijanto, ST., MT., FIDSK., was elected as Chair of the Alumni Association (IKA) of the Faculty of Engineering (FT) Universitas Brawijaya (UB). The man, who is familiarly called Sam Iwan, was an Architecture Alumni of FT UB in 1990. Sam Iwan said Saturday (11/11/2023), he has two visions. First, we want all FT UB alumni to be successful. Then, the second one wants the alma mater to be successful.

“Therefore, with such a large number of alumni, identification is necessary to tie them into a network. “To then collaborate with all the potential that exists,” he said after being elected as Chair of IKA FT UB at the FT UB Dean’s Building.

Sam Iwan hopes that this new management can get support from all parties. So that all departments can contribute their best alumni to sit on future direction. Apart from that, in the future, Sam Iwan, to differentiate himself from other alumni, he wants to initiate a skills certification for alumni. So that graduates will be relatively ready to enter the world of work.

“So alumni have a diploma as well as a skills certificate. “We will push for it to become a final package,” he said.

Regarding the absorption of graduates in the world of work, according to him, many people need engineering alumni. The most significant alumni intake is from the Department of Water Engineering. Both those who hold strategic positions in ministries, contractors, and consultants.

“Followed by alumni from mechanical engineering, many of whom work in BUMN, Pertamina, Oil and Gas, and so on. “Then from other departments,” he said.

Furthermore, the old Chair of IKA FT UB, Ali Mundakir, said that the role of alumni is vital for the progress of the UB Faculty of Engineering. Therefore, in the previous management, the emphasis on alumni contributions to the Faculty had to be optimal.

“So we also facilitate activities such as guest lectures and accommodating younger students who need work practice places. “Including finding jobs for alumni who have just graduated,” he said. This program must continue to be improved by the next management. “The hope is that what is good will be continued, and what is not good can be improved,” he said.

Likewise, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Brawijaya University, Prof. Ir. Hadi Suyono, ST., MT., Ph.D., IPU., ASEAN Eng. also considers alumni’s role very important. So this year, the UB Faculty of Engineering won the title of the Faculty with the best alumni.

“Because our alumni are outstanding and also occupy good positions,” he said.

His party has also initiated an MoU and MoA between the Faculty of Engineering and the Alumni. For example, for student PKL activities, including solving various problems that occur in society.

“I am very grateful to the old management who have provided many benefits to the UB Faculty of Engineering, one of which is the mosque. We hope that in FT’s next management, there will be more extensive relationships and networking. “Because networking is vital through alumni,” he concluded.[drn]