GKS-U application essay
The essay should consist of the following and the length should be within 2 A4 pages:
- Motivations with which you apply for this program
- Family and Education background
Significant experiences you have had;
risks you have taken and achievements you have made, persons or events that have had a significant influence on you
- Extracurricular activities such as club activities, community service activities, or work experiences
- If applicable, describe awards you have received, publications you have made, or skills you have acquired, etc
Entering Industry 5.0, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have a prime role in economic growth and domestic industry. According to sources, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) contribute to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 61.1%, which dominates the economy. However, there are several problems with SMEs in Indonesia that are still unresolved. For example, inefficient financial management and online marketing that still not magnified. Some often find it hard to realize ideas in the Internet of Things (IoT) field.
I witnessed it firsthand when I worked part-time in the Marketing and Communications section of the Bakery Company, which included the SME category. I play a role in making promotional media such as brochures, posters, flyers, to banners. I saw the bread-making still done manually. That made me realize that SMEs need digital to carry out the maximal production process. I also learned how to create promotional media for proper and correct marketing to brings out an impact on the company.
Besides, there are still several problems such as limited employment opportunities, unemployment, and poverty in Indonesia. It makes me realized to create a social enterprise is one of the ways to be able to contribute to society. So I can overcome problems that the government has not yet resolved. I want to help local producers to be able to compete globally by digitizing all manufacturing processes and increasing effective and efficient performance.
I need to expand my basic knowledge about technology, entrepreneurship, managerial skills, and even social sciences to make this happen. South Korea is the right destination for me to study abroad and explore these pieces of knowledge because Korea guarantees the education of its people by providing quality education. Concerning the major I chose, Industrial Engineering, South Korea is the king of an industry that prioritizes industrial aspects and human resources to improve economic growth and productivity. South Korea is also an active country in social enterprise movements, especially globally, hosting the 8th Social Enterprise World Forum.
I want to increase my skills to become a social entrepreneur and learn how to improve the industrial sector and its innovation strategy. So I can apply the knowledge to encourage industrial growth in Indonesia to be more advanced as the industry in South Korea. These advantages of South Korea made me want to prove to people that South Korea is not only superior in the entertainment industry but also in the education, technology, and unique cultural diversity.
Since I was in elementary school, I have been very interested in Korean culture. I feel challenged to learn every time I see Hangul writing. My grandfather bought me a Korean Language book then I started learning to write and speak Korean as a beginner. When I was in high school, I signed up as a member of a community for Indonesians who like and want to learn traditional and modern Korean arts and culture, namely the Indonesia Korean Culture Family (INKOCF). I added a lot to my knowledge of Korean culture. I liked Samulnori, Gayageum, and Buchaechum. But due to being hindered by the pandemic, I missed the opportunity to learn Korean cultures firsthand. I want to take advantage of this scholarship program not only to study but also to survey Korean culture.
My family, especially my parents, is one of the big motivations to realize my dream to continue my studies abroad. Especially my mother, who had the ambition to continue her education abroad, but she could not acquire that dream because she did not get the blessing of my grandparents. From there, I was encouraged to continue my mother's goal to continue my education abroad and heard that she was very supportive.
My parents told me to chase my dreams as high as possible because I need to fight for a decent life. Their message inspires me and makes me realize that education is fundamental. My parents also taught me that life skills are no less important than education. By having life skills, I could face difficult times in life. My father once told me to take care of myself and carry myself. That is a message that I will remember wherever I am.
A memorable experience for me was when I was in elementary school in 2015, at which time I wrote a scientific paper as a requirement for graduation. I got The Best Scientific Work award. I researched by producing a mushroom-based flavoring product as an alternative to synthetic flavoring. In my opinion, this product is beneficial for the community because it can reduce the risk of using synthetic flavorings that can harm excessive consumption. For this reason, I want this product to be better known by people. I reintroduced this idea when in high school for a research assignment. I got my project a good response from my friends and teachers.
While being a science student in high school, I learned a lot about social sciences such as physics, chemistry, biology, sociology, etc. I trained in my analytical and critical thinking skills. For example, I once did a practicum on making fermented yogurt using bacteria and analyzed what impact its consumption had on the community. It prompted me to choose an industrial engineering major because I was interested in social science.
To expand my relationships and develop my hobby, I joined choir extracurricular activities in high school. I led the Division of Sheet Music which also required hard work and self-competence. I met new people and learned that differences are not an obstacle to unite and learned the importance of teamwork to strengthen each other. These things became important provisions for me to explore. It was easy to control myself to be wiser in dealing with cultural differences in Korea.
I am a person who is not afraid of failure. I always make failure a process of building myself to be stronger and more self-aware. For example, when I failed to get into the school I wanted, I tried again to apply to another school. In the end, I attended a school whose environment was more suitable for me personally than a school I want. I learned that behind every failure, there must be a lesson and a way to success. And huge or little effort still has a price.
"Thousand old people can dream. One young person can change the world" -Ir. Soekarno
Quoting word the first President of Indonesia, Ir. Soekarno, inspired me to build my dream for the progress of Indonesia and South Korea. This KGSP scholarship is my hope to develop myself, build a network of young Indonesians and Koreans in various fields, and hone my skills to be better prepared to enter the world of work and realize my dreams in the future. The investment in education that I get is not only applicable for myself but also to the community because this scholarship program's goal is to form great and wise leaders.