Yogyakarta – The Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology (TPHP), Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, once again held a guest lecture titled “Beyond Thesis: Career Direction and Professional Readiness” on Thursday, 26 March 2025. The session featured Titik Kurniawati, S.T.P., CHRMP, HRGA & Community Development at PT Nutrifood Indonesia, as the invited speaker. The lecture was mandatory for students of the Master’s Program in Food Science and Technology (S2 ITP) and the Master’s Program in Plantation Product Technology (S2 THP), and was also open to the broader academic community of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology UGM.
The event was organized as part of the department’s continuing effort to broaden graduate students’ perspectives on the evolving world of work and the increasingly dynamic challenges of professional life. Through the theme Beyond Thesis, students were encouraged to recognize that success in graduate study is not measured solely by the completion of a thesis, but also by one’s readiness to navigate change, understand industry needs, and cultivate competencies that remain relevant for the future.
In her presentation, Titik Kurniawati highlighted the shifting global landscape from the VUCA framework to BANI, a concept that portrays today’s world as increasingly brittle, anxious, non-linear, and incomprehensible. These changes, she explained, are also reshaping the way industry and society evolve, as reflected in the emergence of Industry 5.0 and Society 5.0, both of which emphasize a more human-centered, adaptive, resilient, and sustainable approach to progress.
Beyond examining global change and industrial disruption, the lecture also underscored the importance of product innovation as a response to rapidly changing consumer needs. Titik Kurniawati explained that successful products are born from a deep understanding of consumer insight and the ability to translate that understanding into solutions that are relevant, innovative, and value-adding. In this context, students were encouraged not only to strengthen their academic foundations, but also to develop greater sensitivity to market developments and societal needs.
The lecture further emphasized the importance of building future core skills as preparation for professional life. Among the competencies highlighted were analytical thinking, creativity, adaptability, communication, collaboration, and a commitment to lifelong learning. These capabilities, she noted, are becoming ever more essential in a rapidly changing labor market that demands graduates who are not only academically accomplished, but also ready to make meaningful contributions in professional settings.
In the concluding part of the session, Titik Kurniawati outlined the wide range of career paths available to Food Technology graduates, extending well beyond academic and research trajectories. Within the food industry, graduates may pursue roles in food manufacturing, including production, quality control, quality assurance, product development, regulatory affairs, and warehouse management. Opportunities also exist in sales and marketing, including market research. At the same time, the growth of technology-driven industries has created pathways into tech and digital fields, such as e-commerce, customer relationship management, digital marketing, and UI/UX.
Through this guest lecture, the Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology at UGM hopes that students will gain a broader perspective on career direction and professional readiness after completing their studies. The presence of industry practitioners in academic forums of this kind is expected to strengthen the connection between higher education and the world of work, while also supporting the development of graduate students who are adaptive, capable, and responsive to contemporary challenges.
Written by: Firstnandita Keisha
