From Internship to Thesis: Internship Experience in the Explosives Industry
Field work practice (internship) is one of the golden opportunities for students to gain real work experience in the real industry. Introducing my name is Ikhtafia Harnum Aditya, an undergraduate student of the Chemistry Department of Universitas Airlangga, who had the opportunity to carry out an internship at PT Dahana. This experience is one of the extraordinary experiences that opened my insights and opportunities related to the industrial world.
Getting to know PT. Dahana
PT Dahana (Persero) is a state-owned enterprise (SOE) member of the Defense Industry Holding (DEFEND ID) engaged in the field of high-energy materials, which provides integrated explosive services for various sectors such as mining, quarrying, construction, oil and gas, and defense. The company’s head office is located at Jl Raya Subang – Cikamurang KM 12, Cibogo, Subang, West Java. With its technological excellence and innovation, PT Dahana plays an important role in supporting the needs of the domestic industry as well as strengthening the independence of Indonesia’s defense industry.
The Beginning of Internship Opportunities
I got this internship opportunity when I attended a guest lecture session held by the Chemistry Department of Universitas Airlangga, with a guest speaker, Mrs. Anggaria Maharani S.Si., M.Si. as Senior Manager at PT Dahana. After the guest lecture session, I expressed my interest in joining the internship program there. The proposal was welcomed by Mrs. Angga, who then provided directions regarding the internship registration procedure. The internship registration process is carried out through the BUMN Magenta (Magang Generasi Bertalenta) platform. This platform is used as an official means for the registration process and reporting of activities during the internship period later.
Internship Implementation
For one month, I spent my internship period at PT Dahana in the Military Research Innovation and Technology (RIT) unit. I gained a lot of new experiences. I not only gained theoretical knowledge, but also valuable practical experience. Such as the opportunity to be directly involved in the research process related to explosives, especially propellants, learning chemical processes applied on an industrial scale, and also understanding the production stages from the research process to the scale-up stage to a larger scale. I was also guided by experienced mentors who helped provide direction and advice regarding the implementation of research.
Benefits of Internship at PT Dahana
There are so many benefits that I got during my internship program at PT Dahana. In addition to getting hands-on work experience, the work environment provided is also very comfortable and supportive for the learning process. Interns also have the opportunity to access various facilities provided by the company. During the internship, we are also provided with a monthly allowance, mess / residence (if still available), lunch, and also a certificate accredited by the SOE.
Not only that, I also gained new relationships with fellow students from various universities with different backgrounds. Interacting with them allowed me to exchange experiences, as well as practicing my communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
Opportunities to Continue Thesis Research
One of the opportunities I got from this internship experience was the chance to continue my thesis research at PT Dahana. During my internship, I realized the importance of collaboration between academia and industry in addressing research and application challenges. With guidance from experienced supervisors and mentors, I had the opportunity to explore research topics that are relevant to industry needs. I hope that through this research, I can make a positive contribution to the development of science and support innovation in the national explosives industry sector.
Author: Ikhtafia Harnum Adhitya
Editor: Kautsar Ul Haq
