CRACKING SUCCES FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR

The PGMI Student Association (HIMMI) of Alma Ata University held an Entrepreneurship Seminar with the theme “Cracking Success for Young Entrepreneurs” on Wednesday, 13 October 2021. This seminar is an educational activity used as a vehicle to increase students’ knowledge of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial procedures, tips on opening a business, and tips to develop the business to be better known by the public (consumers). Seminar participants conveyed arguments (questions and discussions) directly with the speakers and there were also explanations from participants who started entrepreneurship about the problems or experiences faced in entrepreneurship. This seminar ran from 08.00 – 12.00 WIB and was held online via the Zoom meeting room.

This webinar was prompted by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic where many employees working in companies experienced layoffs, reduced working hours, and salary cuts. This resulted in reduced income, job loss, and some laid off with an uncertain time when it would end. Of course, many of them were still waiting for certainty, whether they could continue to work as before or give up with the current conditions but the family’s lives must continue.

Business sectors such as MSMEs were not spared from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the regulations from the central and regional governments, business owners including MSMEs must reduce activities and even stop business operations that make a living for their families. Even so, MSME players could still survive because their activities continued to run normally. It was different from an employee who was laid off, suspended, or reduced salary/working time. Many of them who were laid off or temporarily laid off tried to become entrepreneurs to stabilise their income by selling products on online marketplaces.

Departing from these problems and as a form of anticipation of Indonesia’s young generation, especially students, this webinar was held by presenting speakers from various national universities, such as Mr Wahyu Nugroho, M.Pd (Lecturer at PGSD of UNU Yogyakarta), Mr Deden Haradan Hutama, S.Kom., M.T. (Lecturer at SI of Alma Ata University), Mrs Ika Ratih Sulistiani, M.Pd (Lecturer at PGMI of University of Malang) and Mrs Dr. Nur Wiarsih, M.Pd (Lecturer at PGMI of IAI Ibrahim Banyuwangi). The speakers invited us to start looking for business opportunities but still reminded us that college must be our top priority. It proves that we are responsible for graduating college, achieving cum laude, and having a successful business. There is no success without process.