UNAIR NEWS – Internship is a crucial step for students to enter the professional world. Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) is dedicated to supporting students in their personal and professional development, including preparing for future careers. As part of this commitment, UNAIR fully supports student participation in internship programs, such as at PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI).
Firman Cahyo Nugroho, 2020 Public Health student, Faculty of Public Health (FKM), became one of PT Freeport Indonesia’s independent interns. The selection process for this internship was very competitive. Only about 80 out of 3,630 applicants were accepted. Currently, Firman is an intern in the mining safety department, specifically in the industrial hygiene and occupational health department.
Involved in various projects
Firman applied his knowledge of environmental health by participating in various important projects, such as reviewing physical and biological guidelines and developing standard operating procedures for microbiology and air quality measurements.
Furthermore, he is involved in sample collection to determine worker exposure levels. The projects were aimed to determine worker exposure to noise, dust, fumes, and other substances.v
“I had an amazing opportunity to be involved in the physical and biological guidelines review project at PTFI. Furthermore, I assisted in developing SOPs for measuring airborne microbiology and indoor air quality. I also actively participated in sampling the environmental conditions at PTFI,” Firman explained.
Firman was assigned to work in the highlands, specifically at the 72 Ridge Camp Office area, which is located at an altitude of 2,200 meters. At first, he had difficulty adapting to the weather and the terrain in the highlands. The uphill road was also challenging. “Even to eat, we have to walk quite a distance,” said the former chairman of the APHSA FKM 2022 Student Association.
However, despite these challenges, Firman was able to slowly adapt to his internship. He also received numerous facilities and benefits during his internship, which aided in his self-development and work focus.
Tips for success in internship selection
In his statement, Firman shared the key to successfully passing an internship selection at a large company like PTFI. According to him, experiences will increase the chance of being selected. “The main key to passing the internship selection at PTFI is experience. The more experiences you have, the greater the chance of being accepted,” said Firman.
According to Firman, early semester students can begin by participating in internal campus committees or student organizations. PTI looks for talent with strong soft skills like communication, leadership, teamwork, and problem-solvers. “Always try to upgrade yourself. For example, in the future, try to be brave enough to be a coordinator or team leader in internal organizations,” Firman said.
Author: Hana Mufidatuz Zuhrah
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati (RF/AP)
