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There’s a common misconception surrounding the Industrial Engineering major. Many perceive it as a vague discipline—supposedly not “technical enough” and merely focused on business with a dash of engineering. Responding to this misunderstanding, a proud alumna from Universitas Airlangga (Unair) shared her unique journey and eye-opening insights about the major.

Jessica Mawar (24) once dreamed of pursuing a career in medicine. That dream, however, faded when she didn’t pass either the SNMPTN or SBMPTN national university entrance exams. Yet, as she puts it, “Life has a unique way of showing us the right path.” What initially felt like a failure turned into a blessing, as she eventually became part of the first cohort of the Industrial Engineering program at Unair’s Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidisciplinary Studies (FTMM).

Back then, Industrial Engineering was still a relatively unfamiliar term for Jessica. Curious, she did her own research and discovered what made the program fascinating. Despite some doubts fueled by people’s comments about the major being “unclear,” her curiosity only grew stronger.

Industrial Engineering: A Young but Promising Program at Unair

Many people consider Industrial Engineering the least “technical” of the engineering disciplines. But for Jessica, that assumption sparked interest rather than hesitation. After in-depth research, she confidently chose Industrial Engineering. According to her, graduates often pursue careers in consulting, automotive, and tech industries—fields that offer broad career opportunities.

“It’s an incredibly versatile major! That’s what made me fall in love with it. I enjoy challenges that are anything but monotonous,” she said.

Initially, Jessica had planned to enroll at a state university in Jakarta, where her family resides. Her parents were concerned about her moving too far from home. She did get accepted into one of the public universities there, but the news left her feeling conflicted. Deep down, she aspired to study at a university with a stronger academic reputation—one like Unair.

Even though FTMM at Unair was only established in 2020, Jessica didn’t have second thoughts. She saw Unair as an academic powerhouse with a prestigious track record. Just recently, the university was ranked as the number one higher education institution in Indonesia by the THE Impact Rankings 2025.

Industrial Engineering: More Than Just Business

“People say, ‘Industrial Engineering is just about business, not real engineering.’ That’s completely wrong!” Jessica emphasized.

Throughout her 3.5 years of undergraduate study, she encountered a wide range of engineering subjects—systems optimization, statistics, production design, and more. What sets the program apart, she explained, is that students also gain essential management knowledge.

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