From Campus to Career: ASTRA Group Promotes Values, Innovation, and Growth

BANDUNG, kemahasiswaan.itb.ac.id – As part of the Integrated Career Fair (Titian Karier Terpadu) Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) in April 2025, the Directorate of Student Affairs conducted a series of presentation sessions with various companies, including the ASTRA Group. Under the title ‘Step in Corporate: Bridging the Gap from Classrooms to Boardrooms’, the session was delivered by Hari Purwanto, Director of PT Gemala Kempa Daya–a subsidiary of PT Astra Otoparts Tbk. The session highlighted Astra’s core values and innovations relevant to preparing students for the professional world.

In his presentation, Hari began by outlining the major employment challenges in Indonesia. He pointed out the still-high unemployment rate, particularly among university graduates who have not yet been formally absorbed into the workforce. However, behind these challenges lies great potential—Indonesia’s workforce is largely composed of individuals in their productive years.

As part of the Astra Group, Hari shared the company’s core values, which guide its policies and actions. Astra is grounded in the Catur Dharma philosophy, or Four Basic Principles, which form the backbone of its business operations: (1) to be an asset to the nation, (2) to provide the best service to customers, (3) to respect others, and (4) to continuously strive for excellence.

“For me, work is a form of worship. Through our work, we benefit others and that’s a principle we (in ASTRA group) live by,” he said.

These values are reflected in Astra’s human resource management and long-term business strategies. In terms of employee development, Astra applies ‘from zero to hero’ principle, where every individual is given the opportunity to grow from entry-level positions up to strategic roles within the company.

Astra also brings a strong spirit of innovation to the manufacturing sector. Astra Otoparts, for instance, plays a key role in leading the industry toward the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0). Several of its factories have been designated as Lighthouse facilities by the Ministry of Industry as it is recognized as benchmarks for best practices in the application of digital technologies in manufacturing. Products like brake systems, clutches, and dashboard panels are now produced domestically with international standards.

Hari further explained that innovation is not only about improving production efficiency, but also about sustainability. Astra actively supports Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives, such as mangrove planting, carbon emission reduction, and solar panel implementation.

During the session, participants were encouraged to equip themselves not only with hard skills such as technological literacy, big data, and design, but also with essential soft skills like communication, decision-making, and curiosity. Hari emphasized that in today’s fast-paced and complex world (often referred to as VUCA—Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous), adaptability and a passion for continuous learning are crucial assets.

This presentation served as a reminder to all participants that the professional world is a continuation of the learning process that begins on campus. By staying true to core values and embracing a spirit of innovation, each student holds the potential not only to thrive in the professional world but also to become a driving force for positive change across the industry.