Andhika Iskandar is a migrant from Jakarta who has been working in Australia since July 2023 using a Working Holiday Visa (WHV).
His journey began with high courage despite minimal preparation, where he only gained a connection of residence and work when he met fellow Indonesians on a flight to Sydney.
His most memorable work experience was working at a meat factory in a regional area called Lytton, which he will live until 2025 due to a stable working environment, adequate facilities, and a strong sense of togetherness with the Indonesian community there.
Andhika explained to SBS Indonesian that she had learnt valuable lessons while working in Australia. One of them is the importance of strict time discipline and the courage to communicate honestly in the work environment.
He stressed that employers in Australia highly value a frank attitude if they do not yet understand the task and put more priority on the core of the message than the perfection of English grammar.
Andika also feels the contrast between working in a big city like Sydney that tends to be individualistic and full of spending temptations, with regional areas that make it easier to save and build supportive social networks.
For young Indonesians who want to follow in their footsteps through the WHV path, Andhika suggests joining the online community immediately to find information before setting off.
He also suggested that it would be more profitable to complete the obligation to work in regional areas at the beginning of arrival so that the conditions for the extension of the visa up to the third year could be safely met.
According to him, maintaining good relationships and appreciating every opportunity of time is the key to surviving and successfully living a working life in Australia.
