Indonesia | Nicholas Santoso

Meet Nic

After graduating with a marketing degree from Universitas Pelita Harapan in Indonesia, Nic Santoso yearned to leave his home country and explore the world. He was interested in living in Sydney so he chose to pursue his passion in technology and further his studies at UTS with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and major in Networking and Cybersecurity in 2017.  

Nic dedicated himself to UTS’ vibrant student life during his time as a student. Joining UTS Startups was a decision that would have a long-lasting effect on Nic’s future and career. UTS Startups is a program that supports students to develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence to explore entrepreneurship in their careers. Nic started working for two start-ups that worked collaboratively: Eat Shop Local and RevenueTEK. 

I joined as in intern, and the experience quickly changed me from student to be a professional worker. This was my first ever ‘actual’ working environment. I didn't know anything about professional work (in Australia especially), and it took me a while to adapt myself. For example, I was in full business suits for a month at UTS Startups. 

The network and connections he established as an intern at UTS Startups gave him the opportunity to kick start his career after graduation.   

“The owner (my boss) of Eat Shop Local was Thomas Bender, my mentor, and good friend. He is a Canadian - Australian business owner with tons of experience, and I learned a lot from him. One day, Thomas got a role in Lakeba and he brought me in as well, again as an intern. Since then, I have worked at Lakeba, now as a CRM Marketing Specialist designing content for social media—a role which aligns perfectly with my degrees.” 

As CRM Marketing Specialist at Lakeba, Nic’s responsibilities include managing the CRM system, Microsoft Dynamics, and contributing to marketing projects such as venture documents, social media content, and the annual report. 

“I love my current job. It’s basically marketing and IT in one place. Big thank you to UTS which made me the person I am today.”  

Offering advice to current students, Nic says, “Go out. Build your network. Stop locking yourself in the library and explore the world!”