Stephanie Kartika, Process and Food Technology alumna from Indonesia
“Finding work in a field related to my studies was step one. I am learning every day about management, marketing and R&D”
The Process and Food Technology bachelor prepared Jakarta-born Stephanie Kartika Lestari for an international career anywhere in the world.
Personal choice
That Stephanie Kartika Lestari is currently working as a formulation/processing technologist for
Stephanie Kartika
Unilever R&D in Vlaardingen, not far from The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THU), is entirely a matter of choice. As a Bachelor of Applied Science – the title earned by graduates of the Process and Food Technology (PFT) programme – she would have felt at home in an industrial environment anywhere else in the world. At THU, PFT students learn to communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Scholarships
Stephanie grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was a foregone conclusion that she would go abroad to study. In coming to Holland, she followed in her brother’s footsteps; he is presently doing a Master’s at TU Delft. Her high marks and strong motivation earned Stephanie a THU scholarship for the first year. Her second year was sponsored by Unilever’s R&D department, where she did an internship on the processing of soy milk. “Motivation and enthusiasm have always been my strong points, and my high school marks were very good.”
Experiments
When she graduated in July 2009, Stephanie had just celebrated her 21
st birthday after following the intensive three-year stream of PFT. “I’ve always been interested in science and technology. At THU, my favourite subjects were mathematics and fluid dynamics. We also did a lot of experiments. For my internship at Unilever, the experiments in organic chemistry were especially useful.”
Overall package
She speaks highly of the PFT teachers, who are exceptionally highly educated. “They are very knowledgeable and experienced. As I see it, what makes this programme stand out is the overall package. Nowhere else would you find this combination of theory and practice in such an open, broad-based international environment.”
Moving on
Stephanie’s job search coincided with the worldwide economic crisis. She doesn’t remember how many applications she submitted, but the end result was a position in Unilever’s R&D department, where she’d worked two years previously as an intern. After less than a year, her line manager got her promoted to her current job. This involved a move from food to non-food products – or to be more precise from soy milk, mayonnaise and peanut butter to fabric conditioners. “I’m pretty flexible and don’t really have a preference for food or other products. In addition to doing research, I’m now responsible for quality control. This job is more target-specific. It offers more of a challenge, which suits my personality. Since I cover all of Europe, a mistake can have serious consequences.”
Firm focus
Asked about her ambitions for the future, Stephanie is firmly focused on acquiring work experience as fast as possible. “I’m working in a field related to my studies. That is step one. I am learning every day about management, marketing and R&D. In a few years’ time I may be in a management position, and perhaps I’ll study some more. But I’m not thinking about that right now. When I’m ready to move on, I’ll be open to opportunities in Europe, Asia or elsewhere.”
Building character
For the time being, though, Stephanie is happy to stay in The Hague: “It’s a convenient location halfway between Amsterdam and Rotterdam. There are plenty of cultural venues and events, and there’s a sizeable population of Indonesian descent. Getting Indonesian food is never a problem. As a student, I worked for several years in an Indonesian restaurant. Apart from improving my Dutch in a familiar environment, I also picked up additional skills there – always a good thing to help you build your character and personality.”
