Cahyo Adhi Hartanto, an alumnus of the Undergraduate Informatics Program at FSM UNDIP from the 2015 cohort who graduated in 2019, is now pursuing a career as an IT Manager (Decision Engine Technical Specialist) at Bank Syariah Indonesia in Jakarta. Cahyo’s journey shows that limitations at the beginning are not barriers to growth. With strong determination and a willingness to keep learning, he was able to advance through both his academic and professional journey to reach his current position.
When he first entered the Informatics program in 2015, Cahyo admitted that he had no coding skills at all. That situation even made him consider leaving the Informatics program. However, in 2016, he decided to stay and finish what he had started. “I decided that I needed to complete what I had already begun,” Cahyo said. That decision became an important turning point in his journey.
From that point on, Cahyo began learning coding independently through various sources, including YouTube. His efforts gradually developed, and by his third semester he had started focusing on mobile application development, especially Android. Along the way, Cahyo felt that he was running out of ideas for developing Android applications. From there, he decided to shift his focus to artificial intelligence, a field he continued to pursue until graduation.
As he approached his undergraduate thesis defense, Cahyo also began actively participating in various competitions to gain experience and sharpen his skills. These efforts led to notable achievements. He won First Place in Anforcom 2017, First Place in CSIC 2018, and a Silver Medal at Penang Innovation 2019. These accomplishments became an important part of his self-development process during his university years.
After completing his undergraduate studies, Cahyo had the opportunity to continue his education at the master’s level at the University of Indonesia, where he further explored the field he had pursued since his undergraduate years. His academic journey then continued and eventually led him into the professional world in banking technology. Today, he is building his career at Bank Syariah Indonesia as an IT Manager (Decision Engine Technical Specialist), a position that reflects his consistency in pursuing the field of information technology.
According to Cahyo, the knowledge and experiences he gained at FSM UNDIP were quite helpful as a basic foundation in his career journey. However, he believes that students also need to take the initiative to deepen the fields they are interested in independently. The fundamentals gained in university, when combined with self-directed learning and a willingness to continue growing, can become a strong foundation for facing challenges in the professional world.
To current FSM UNDIP students, Cahyo shared a message encouraging them not to give up easily on the choices they have made. “Nothing is impossible if we are willing to put in the effort and have strong determination. There is no need to regret the choices that have already been made. Every choice has its own best path, and although we may not know where it will lead, it can ultimately end in something remarkably beautiful,” he said. Cahyo’s journey is one example that the learning process does not always go smoothly from the beginning. However, with perseverance, the courage to adapt, and a commitment to keep trying, every challenge can be turned into an opportunity to grow and achieve a better future.