Scholarship Essay for Chevening
There are hundreds of startups that are established every year in Indonesia, however, to sustain it is still a big challenge. I always aspire to build Indonesia's leading fashion brand. Working towards this goal, I have obtained an academic background in Fashion Design. I then started my professional careers, not only limited as a designer but also as a merchandiser and analyst. In both experiences, I gained more practical inputs in design and product development specifically forecasted for the Indonesian market as well as basic expertises in assortment and inventory planning, production and operational management and some collaboration works.
My working experience in a company that houses more than 10 local fashion startups has not only allowed me to gain insights of their business internal processes, but also to see some real challenges throughout the processes which are primarily caused by the lack of new innovation in the midst of intense competitions and limited strategies in supply chain management that are actually the key aspects to sustain and grow a fashion business that many startup brands still struggle to tackle.
I also, however, realized that I still have a big skill gap in terms of business innovation and advanced management strategy. My ultimate goal is to become an entrepreneur that is well-equipped in both technical and business strategic skills. Therefore, I have chosen Master courses related to Entrepreneurship and Management at UAL and University of Westminster. In my opinion, there are key specialties in each course.
First, LCF MBA course in UAL attracts me in one of their modules which is to use sufficient tools to analyze a range of business data that allow detailed investigation into relevant business and management issues, which perfectly align with my concerns in inventory flows to supply-chain blockages.This learning will help me in adopting strategic solutions to a range of complex situations.
Second, the MA Entrepreneurship course in UAL formulates an advanced synthesis of entrepreneurial thinking that can foster an innovation-led culture in this fast evolving industry. Another key learning aim is to prepare students with soft skill to pitch innovative ideas to attract networks and opportunities for successful collaborative businesses or investments.
Last, Fashion Business Management course from University of Westminster encourages skills to facilitate new business creation.
Furthermore, both Entrepreneurship and MBA courses in UAL mainly emphasize more on experiential learning, such as through teamwork and peer coaching, that are supported with actionable theories while Fashion Business Management in University of Westminster focuses more on equipping students with various skill sets in areas of the wider fashion sector.
Nevertheless, I believe these three courses are tailor-fit to fill my knowledge gap in order to achieve my goal- to drive a change and a breakthrough innovation within the competitive Indonesia fashion sector and to build a sustainable business. I am optimistic that after my Master's in the UK, I will have developed a sought-after practical understanding in venture creation and development.