Top Student in Auditing Exam Worldwide
Many young people find themselves at a crossroads after graduation, wanting to both pursue higher education and hit the ground running in their careers. For 21-year-old Violy Purnamasari, she knew exactly which path she wanted to take.
The Accounting and Finance graduate chose to start her career as an auditor at Ernst and Young Singapore despite being offered the scholarship for a Master’s programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
As an impressive SIM-University of London student, Violy topped the cohort in all the 14 papers she took as part of her degree programme and ranked first in the world in her Auditing exam in 2014. Violy credits SIM Global Education’s (SIM GE) academic curriculum and structure in priming her for the working world.
An Eventful Student Journey
Her student life at SIM was certainly far from dull. She was the president of the SIM Buddhist Bhavana Club, where she spearheaded events for fellow Buddhist students and anyone who had an interest in the religion. “We organised temple tours around Singapore, a three-day camp at Kong Meng San Por Kha See, the biggest temple in Singapore, and a trip to a monastery in Johor Bahru,” Violy regales.
She also fulfilled other roles in the Investment and Networking Club and in the Scholars’ Network. In addition, she participated actively in SIM events such as the Open House, at which she helped to relay information about UOL courses to prospective students and their parents.
She shares, “My participation in co-curricular activities built my character and taught me networking, leadership and other relevant skills, all of which helped me to land my current job. Student life is the best time to try new things and discover your passion and purpose in life. It is extremely important to have a purpose in life – it is better to live one day with a purpose than a hundred years without it.”
Preparing Herself for Her Goals
Violy hopes to found her own business one day, preferably in the social services sector. Although her current job as an auditor may not seem like a straightforward step towards her ultimate goal, she points out the importance of having work experience in the commercial and finance industries.
“Auditing requires our attention to detail and curiosity. We must uncover the rationale behind each audit procedure instead of blindly performing what out senior colleagues tell us to. It also hones our communication and relationship skills through our constant direct contact with clients,” Violy tells us.
Violy certainly understands that every small stroke of paint adds up to the formation of the big picture. The little – and invaluable – skills she cultivate today will stand her in good stead for her future career as a businesswoman. In fact, she was exposed to this perspective early on during her years in SIM-UOL.
UOL’s well-considered and flexible study programme helped her to develop time-management skills and instilled in her a strong sense of discipline and responsibility, all of which are essential in her current and future career. She muses, “I had to organise my own timetable under the UOL system and this allowed me to plan and set aside time for activities outside of the classroom. At UOL, it is important to plan effectively and remain focused on your goals.”
This article was adapted with permission from the SIM GE website. For more learning-related articles, please visit http://learning.jobscentral.com.sg/student-resources
