Avei’s Journey from a Small Town to an IT Consulting Company
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A Story of Muhammad Abdul Aziz Al-Ghofari, Bangkit 2022 Graduate from Computer Science, Universitas Bina Nusantara
Muhammad Abdul Aziz Al-Ghofari (23) embodies the transformative power of passion. Coming from Pagar Alam, Sumatera Selatan, he took a journey shaped by expectations from his family and his unwavering love for tech. He took a decisive turn during his years at Universitas Bina Nusantara (BINUS), where he discovered Bangkit—an opportunity that would redefine his career trajectory.
Through Bangkit, he immersed himself in intensive learning and collaborative projects, honing his Machine Learning and teamwork skills for over 900 hours. His journey culminated in securing a position as a Software Engineer at PT Bangunindo Teknusa Jaya, an information technology (IT) services and consulting company based in Jakarta Selatan.
So, how was Avei’s—that’s his nickname—journey in Bangkit? Let’s dive into his story!
His path was not without its challenges. From an early age, he harbored a dream of becoming a programmer, a passion ignited by his father, who introduced him to computers when he was still in elementary school.
However, his parents had different aspirations for him. They envisioned Avei becoming an ustadz, a respected Islamic teacher. This divergence in dreams led to internal conflict and familial tension.
The struggle intensified in high school, where his academic performance suffered due to the conflicting pressures, resulting in a two-year gap after graduation. Despite the setbacks, Avei was determined to follow his passion. He faced multiple rejections and failed attempts at entering public universities through SBMPTN (the national entrance exam).
Despite the promise to attend a private university if he failed again, Avei persevered in his studies. His hard work culminated in achieving his goal of attending BINUS University, a top private institution known for its strong Computer Science program.
“From the start, I knew BINUS was where I wanted to be. It had the best reputation for what I wanted to do,” he said. His determination and hard work culminated in successfully passing the entrance test for BINUS, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
However, his excitement was short-lived. He didn’t meet the program's minimum requirement of being in the fifth semester. Disappointed but undeterred, Avei kept the program in mind as he continued his studies.
When the fifth semester arrived, it was a critical period for Avei. At BINUS, students were required to undertake internships, and many of his peers were already applying for various positions. Meanwhile, Avei anxiously awaited the opening of the Bangkit program’s application.
Finally, the opportunity came. Avei applied along with five friends, each choosing different specializations within the program. To his dismay, Avei was the last of his friends to be accepted as a Machine Learning cohort. It was nerve-wracking because his friends had all been accepted into their tracks—three in Mobile Development (Android) and one in Cloud Computing.
The acceptance finally came in January 2022, marking the beginning of a transformative experience for Avei. The Bangkit program, a collaboration between Google, Gojek, Tokopedia, and Traveloka, provided Avei with a structured pathway to hone his skills in Machine Learning. The curriculum was rigorous, focusing on both technical and soft skills.
Throughout the program, Avei also built a strong network of peers and mentors. Many of his friends from the program introduced me to volunteering opportunities and connected with other professionals in the field. These relationships provided a support system and opened doors to further opportunities, reinforcing Avei’s commitment to his chosen path.
Intrigued by Cloud Computing, Avei planned to re-enroll in Bangkit next semester. However, his friends advised him that obtaining the certification through Google Partner Kickstart would be sufficient. Taking their advice, Avei focused on the Associate Cloud Engineer (ACE) certification. Simultaneously, he secured an internship at Bank Indonesia, where he worked on modules from Quick Lab provided by Google.
With TFD and ACE certifications and experience in hand, Avei entered the job market. He actively applied for positions that aligned with his skills. His efforts bore fruit when he received an offer from Bangunindo as a Software Engineer. The job search process was facilitated through LinkedIn, where Avei had applied to multiple positions that matched his qualifications.
Not long after, he successfully navigated the testing and interview stages at Bangunindo. Avei said that the material from Bangkit helped him build a strong portfolio, which was crucial during the technical interview.
At Bangunindo, Avei’s role involves handling services for network monitoring software, particularly using open-source tools like Zabbix. Initially working with Python, he encountered performance issues when processing large volumes of sensor data.
He initiated porting the service to Go Programming Language (Golang), improving its performance and reliability. “I led the transition from choosing the framework to implementing the solution, and now it’s running smoothly,” he says with pride.
Avei also pointed out the significance of the capstone project. He encourages them to have a strong team and a compelling idea for the capstone project. Then, strive to make it to the top 15 to secure funding. Even if a team doesn’t reach the top 15, Avei believes the lessons learned from the process are invaluable.
He encourages current Bangkit participants to think beyond immediate impacts and consider the long-term benefits. Don’t just look for short-term gains because the skills and experiences you gain now will pay off in the future. Avei uses an example from his own life to illustrate this point:
“Playing games in school taught me logic and algorithms that I later applied in my work. At the time, I didn’t realize their importance, but they proved to be useful later,” he reflects.
Through Bangkit, he immersed himself in intensive learning and collaborative projects, honing his Machine Learning and teamwork skills for over 900 hours. His journey culminated in securing a position as a Software Engineer at PT Bangunindo Teknusa Jaya, an information technology (IT) services and consulting company based in Jakarta Selatan.
So, how was Avei’s—that’s his nickname—journey in Bangkit? Let’s dive into his story!
A Toy Merchant’s Son Who Loves Tech
Avei, whom his family called Muaz, is the eldest of six. His parents, a toy merchant in Pagar Alam, always emphasized the value of education. As the first child, Avei felt responsible for setting an example for his younger siblings. His childhood blended traditional values and a budding interest in tech, which was sparked at a very young age.
His path was not without its challenges. From an early age, he harbored a dream of becoming a programmer, a passion ignited by his father, who introduced him to computers when he was still in elementary school.
“I remember those days vividly—starting with the basics of Ms. Office, moving on to Photoshop, and eventually dipping my toes into coding with Visual Basic VB6,” Avei recalls with a smile.
“During middle and high school, I was constantly torn between my passion for programming and my parents’ wish for me to pursue a religious path,” he explains.
“There were intense frustration and doubt moments, especially after the second year of not passing SBMPTN. It felt like my dream was slipping away.”
“From the start, I knew BINUS was where I wanted to be. It had the best reputation for what I wanted to do,” he said. His determination and hard work culminated in successfully passing the entrance test for BINUS, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
Embarking a New Journey in Bangkit
In his third semester at BINUS, Avei stumbled upon an opportunity that would change his career trajectory. A Bangkit advertisement flashed across his phone screen. “I saw Google, Gojek, Tokopedia, and Traveloka were involved, and I thought, ‘Why not give it a shot?” Avei remembered.
However, his excitement was short-lived. He didn’t meet the program's minimum requirement of being in the fifth semester. Disappointed but undeterred, Avei kept the program in mind as he continued his studies.
When the fifth semester arrived, it was a critical period for Avei. At BINUS, students were required to undertake internships, and many of his peers were already applying for various positions. Meanwhile, Avei anxiously awaited the opening of the Bangkit program’s application.
“My friends were securing internships left and right, but I was holding out for Bangkit,” he explains.
The acceptance finally came in January 2022, marking the beginning of a transformative experience for Avei. The Bangkit program, a collaboration between Google, Gojek, Tokopedia, and Traveloka, provided Avei with a structured pathway to hone his skills in Machine Learning. The curriculum was rigorous, focusing on both technical and soft skills.
Avei was particularly challenged by the capstone project, which required forming and leading a team to develop a solution to a significant problem. Building and managing a team has taught him invaluable lessons in leadership and collaboration. “I learned how to organize the team for more efficient work, handle different team dynamics, and overcome obstacles together.”“The structure of the program was exactly what I needed. It wasn’t just about coding, but about understanding how to work efficiently in teams, manage projects, and solve real-world problems,” Avei notes.
Throughout the program, Avei also built a strong network of peers and mentors. Many of his friends from the program introduced me to volunteering opportunities and connected with other professionals in the field. These relationships provided a support system and opened doors to further opportunities, reinforcing Avei’s commitment to his chosen path.
Embarking Software Engineer Career after Equipped with Global Certification
Following his successful completion of the Bangkit program as a distinction graduate, Avei was eager to validate his skills. Encouraged by his peers, he pursued additional certifications. He earned the TensorFlow Developer (TFD) certification from Google. Avei supplemented his learning with the simulation Exam class for the TensorFlow Developer Certificate from Dicoding.
“The TFD exam from Dicoding proved invaluable because it aligned closely with the actual exam format and prepared me thoroughly for the rigorous assessment,” Avei explains.
“Balancing my internship with preparing for the ACE certification was challenging, but it paid off when I passed the exam in December 2022,” Avei recalls.
“I applied to many jobs, ensuring that the requirements were a good fit,” he notes.
At Bangunindo, Avei’s role involves handling services for network monitoring software, particularly using open-source tools like Zabbix. Initially working with Python, he encountered performance issues when processing large volumes of sensor data.
“One of our clients required us to handle vast amounts of sensor data, and our Python service couldn’t keep up.”
“Today's Skills will Build Tomorrow's Success, so Focus on Long-term Gains”
Reflecting on his journey, Avei offers valuable advice for those embarking on or currently enrolled in the Bangkit program. “For the Bangkit cohort, please focus on certifications because they are crucial and incredibly beneficial,” he emphasizes. Avei specifically highlights the importance of the TFD certification.
“The knowledge gained from TFD certification is particularly relevant, especially with the current buzz around Large Language Models (LLMs),” he adds.
“The experience from the capstone project will be incredibly beneficial in the long run. It may not seem useful now, but in 10 or 20 years, those lessons will be invaluable.”
“Playing games in school taught me logic and algorithms that I later applied in my work. At the time, I didn’t realize their importance, but they proved to be useful later,” he reflects.
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