To Improve the Quality of Automotive Engineering, Polman Astra Provides The Graduates with International Level Certification

On December 4, 2017, Polman Astra final level students of Automotive Engine Maintenance study program were tested in the German standard competency certification scheme DIHK (Deutsche Industrie und Handelskammer) for the first phase of Automotive Mechatronics. This program is the collaboration between Polman Astra and EKONID (Indonesian-German Economic Association).

The DIHK certification is an approval of competence by German industry for those who taking the Berufsschule education program, which is a vocational program based on a double system program that produces high technical professional competency, and becomes a requirement for the Meister program.

This was the scheme that adopted by Polman Astra to improve the competency level of Associate of Automotive Maintenance Engineering graduates. “Polman Astra has adopted this certification to improve the competitiveness of graduates, where they not only have a Associate degree but can also be equipped with competencies that approved in the international level,” said Yohanes C. Sutama, Head of the Automotive Engine Maintenance Study Program who is also the Program Coordinator for the certification.

The mechatronic automotive certification is divided into 2 phases, where Phase I was done at the beginning of the school year and Phase II was done at the end of the school year. The participants must demonstrate their ability to analyze diagrams and its functions, utilize technical communication media, choose the right work tools and measuring devices, document the measurement results, describe specific problems and solutions, and solve problems with an approach of work procedures.

During the certification testing, Polman Astra lecturers and instructors act as assessors who are approved with standards set by EKONID. Among them are Yohanes C. Sutama, who has experience in the automotive, especially products from Germany. Henry Tobing, secretary of the Automotive Engine Maintenance Study Program who has a lot of experience in the automotive industry, also Elroy Fransiskus, Polman Astra Lecturer who won this year a Meister certification in Automotive from Germany.

“Certification will be match with the Meister program that developed by Polman Astra, and also will be additional certificate for their graduation (students), thus the Industry will be more confident in recruiting them because it has been qualified with automotive competency standards approved by the industry” said Yohannes C. Sutama.