Scholarship / Innovative Project Manager - Chosen course and Career Plan for Chevening [3]

Hi All! Please take a look at my essay for Chevening application: Chosen courses.Any feedback will be appreciated. :)

Outline why you have selected your chosen three university courses, and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and your plans for the future. Please do not duplicate the information you have entered on the work experience and education section of this form

Quality, cost and time

Studying Architecture in university, I was more interested on the process of how the drawings turned into a built environment. Subsequent to my graduation, I worked as a member of Project Management team for a high-rise building in Jakarta.

My first choice is to study Strategic Management of Projects in University College London. This program offers a macro perspective in project management, not only for construction related industry. Studying in this program, I will learn how to manage a project, supply chain management, project economics and finance, and relationship and marketing. Learning all of this, I would be able to start my own business in project management industry in the future. Besides, I am particularly interested in the Management Innovation and Technology classes. Based on my previous professional experience, I realized that the people worked in construction industry mostly working with the same attitude and method as they have done years ago. It lacks of innovation that this fast-paced industry should have. Learning this in an environment where people from different industries will present, I hope to gain a new perspective and idea to be applied subsequent to my return.

The next choice is Construction Economics and Management in University College London. Having two years' experience in construction project management field, I begin to understand that behind the works I had done until now, there is a high-level management in the background that controlled by the economic sector of the industry. Learning more about the economic aspect in construction management, I hope to gain a vast knowledge that will makes me ready to take the responsibility in those executive roles. I am also intrigued by the course of sustainability offered by this course. Indeed, construction industry is the global exploiters of natural resources. Learning how to be more responsible in conducting the industry will be a huge advantage for my future professional career.

My third choice is International Construction Management and Engineering in University of Leeds. Similar to the two course I chose before, I will learn the major concept of project management in this course. The advanced course that the program offers will teach me how to embrace the complexity and uncertainty in construction industry. I am interested in the strong research background that the university has, and how it will be applied during the independent research project that will be assigned.

Quality, cost and time is three of the most important aspects in project management, and I am sure that learning the major perspective and basic concept of Project Management in one of the course above will be a huge advantage on my future professional career.

Scholarship / Networking is to connect with people - Chevening Essay in Networking Skills [2]

Hi All, please kindly see my essay below and give me some feedbacks! :) Thank you in advance and good luck for us!

Chevening is looking for individuals with strong professional relationship building skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession. Please explain how you build and maintain relationships in a professional capacity, using clear examples of how you currently do this, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future.

the key to stay in touch

Networking could not be all to business and formal interaction. During my university and professional career days, I realized that make connection with people around you is the key to stay in touch with them.

Back to my university days, I joined a youth development organization that offers exchange programs to university students. During my time in this organization, I was involved in two projects where I was an exchange student, and the exchange committee in the other project. On both projects I had a chance to meet and be friend with people from another country: Chinese, Dutch, Brazilian, Thai, India, Russia, Sri Lankans and many more. We build strong connection during the project due to the shared time and passion. We have been in touch ever since, mostly through our social media.

When I was working on my first company, a property developer company, I noticed that one of my colleague was acquainted with a man that worked for the company that I have been aimed since graduation. She introduced me with him quickly, and I was able to landed an interview the next week. Two weeks from the interview, I got the job.

I am also in a good relation with the alumnus of architecture major in my university. I used social media to be in touch with them. One day, the project that I was involved needed a quick help to draft some drawings for construction purpose. Me and my other colleague could not be done it due to the lack of software we had on our computers. I knew that this drafting job could easily be done by a fresh graduate. I quickly gave a shout on the social media to my junior who was a fresh graduate if she could help. She gladly offered the help and the issue was resolved in no time.

My good relation with the alumnus was also the reason I could join an organization that was focused on the improvement of public places in Jakarta. The organization was started by four of my senior in college. I was intrigued by the unique approach they made and contacted on of them to discuss more about the organization vision and project. I joined the organization afterwards, and I get to know more people with different backgrounds from it.

Networking abilities should not be all stiff and full with 'keep-it-personal' attitude. To actually connect with someone through shared experience or passion is very important and can resulting to a better and lasting relationship. I would like to be engaged, to discuss and share my passion in the new and privileged platform that is Chevening.

Scholarship / Leadership comes in many way, even when you are not in a position as the 'leader'. [2]

Hi All, please take a look at my essay below for Chevening scholarship application. Any feedbacks will be great and much appreciated! :)

Chevening is looking for individuals that will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer.

Essay for Chevening Scholarship

Through my freshman years, I was volunteering in an NGO that concerned about youth development. I spend one month in China with 4 other people from different country, spreading our culture. The main event of the program was called Global Village, where I prepared a stand that showcasing Indonesian culture that was represented in some items that I had brought from Indonesia. I also taught a local Indonesian game called Congklak and played the traditional music instrument from bamboo called Angklung. Beside the global village, I also visited local elementary school and kindergarten and gave a short presentation about Indonesian culture. Taking a part in this program, I learned about the importance of sharing our culture to other country. By sharing my own culture and understanding other culture, I had become the global citizen that was open minded and able to collaborate with the people from different background. The next year I was responsible to arrange a similar program on the city where I lived. I believe that the will to make the world a better place and taking part in the movement, even if small it may be, is the prove of a leadership.

Subsequent to my graduation, I worked in a project management field where I was a part of the lead team to the project. The first project I was assigned to was the construction of high rise residential building in Jakarta. One of my responsible as a project engineer was to complete the procurement package in the project. Plenty of items were delayed in the procurement process due to the lack of coordination between the stakeholders. I made a to-do list and point of contact list of every stakeholder and their outstanding tasks, and gave them a follow up email and a call. I set the target date and made sure everyone was working on the same schedule. The package that I was responsible of was completed on time. Subsequently, I was given another packages and basically had to do the same thing as the previous one. However, every package would not be the same and there were some of the package that I could not deliver on time. It was a nice lesson to me and I learned a lot from my experience.

Leadership is an attitude, and whether you are the leader or as the team member, when you identify some risks and you can influence your colleague to resolve the issue is also how you prove your leadership skill. I believe Chevening will be my next platform to prove and sharpen my leadership skill and eventually be an influence to my surroundings.

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