BCA Shares Insights on Skills and Mental Strength

A total of 1,258 students took part in BCA Berbagi Ilmu (BBI), a program by PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BCA), held at Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS). On this occasion, UMS Vice Rector I, Prof. Ihwan Susila, Ph.D., emphasized the importance of competency development for students amid rapid and continuous changes in the modern era.

Ihwan noted that the conditions we see today may differ from what lies ahead. Therefore, students need to develop their talents and maximize opportunities to strengthen their competencies.

He explained that learning behavior consists of three domains, cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. However, competency classifications have now expanded to include social, personal, professional, and managerial aspects.

Referring to the Future of Jobs Survey 2024, Ihwan stated that the workforce increasingly demands key skills such as analytical thinking, resilience, and leadership.

“These can indeed be built. Talent is not merely instinct or something one is born with, it can be developed,” he told the students on Wednesday (26/11/2025) at the Edutorium KH Ahmad Dahlan UMS.

According to him, academic activities such as exams and assignments are part of the process of building student resilience. UMS itself has anticipated future challenges by implementing a curriculum that includes life skills courses.

In addition, Ihwan encouraged students to cultivate a growth mindset, enhance their learning ability, collaborate effectively in teams, and build empathy.

He also expressed his appreciation for the implementation of the BBI program at UMS. “We truly appreciate BCA’s presence among UMS students. This public lecture is an important moment for all of us, especially for our proud students, to broaden their perspective on the professional world and the importance of developing a professional attitude from an early stage,” he remarked.

Ihwan hopes that going forward there will be more opportunities for collaboration between UMS and BCA.

Meanwhile, BCA Director Antonius Widodo Mulyono emphasized the importance of staying open to new knowledge.

“As the world moves quickly, we must remain open by continually enriching ourselves with new knowledge. Curiosity must be nurtured, even when we’re no longer university students. In the professional world, the willingness to learn is a fundamental key to continued growth. In the end, technical skills are indeed important in the workplace. However, I want to underline that attitude and mentality are equally essential,” he said.

BCA Director Antonius Widodo Mulyono delivering a public lecture to UMS students at Edutorium KH Ahmad Dahlan UMS, 26 November 2025. UMS PR/Imam Safi'i

Widodo also highlighted the importance of mental readiness before students enter the professional world. According to him, the pace of the workplace is much faster than that of campus life, requiring adaptability and emotional management.

“Fresh graduates are usually shocked by how fast-paced the work environment is. While academic ability is important, don’t forget the significance of mental resilience and emotional maturity. When we’re able to manage our emotions well, no matter how heavy the challenges are, we can navigate them successfully,” he added.

In addition to delivering the lecture, at the end of the session, BCA also gave away one electric bicycle and seven BCA Flazz cards. One of the electric bike recipients, Neng Ratu Yulia Ningrum, expressed her gratitude to BCA for providing the public lecture and the Bakti BCA session.

“The bike will definitely be for going to class. I live in a boarding house and it’s close to FEB, so this is incredibly helpful,” said Neng Ratu.

 Neng Ratu posing with her new electric bicycle from BCA in the hall of Edutorium KH Ahmad Dahlan UMS, 26 November 2025. UMS PR/Imam Safi'i

From this activity, the student, who is fondly known as Ratu, felt she gained a great deal of inspiring insights from the BCA Director, including new perspectives relevant to Gen Z as they prepare to enter the workforce.

According to her, what matters most today is to keep following the process and breaking the stigma often attached to the so-called “strawberry generation.”

“Follow the flow and the process, just as he explained earlier. We are not like the strawberry generation, looking good on the outside but fragile on the inside. We must break that stigma. We are not like that, and we are fully capable of competing in the professional world,” she concluded.

Writer: Maysali Sudarwati

Editor: Fika Annisa’ Sholihah

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid