As part of an initiative to foster experience-based learning, six students from the Biology Education Study Program at UPGRIS—Anggi Septia Pramaista, Angelica Tricia Wijaya, Dina Alfiyana, Imarotul Umamah, Siti Dzakiyatus Sholekhah, and M. Wisnu Khoiriyan—participated in an industrial internship program. The students completed their internship from September to November 2025 at CV. Candi Orchid, a company recognized as a prominent center for orchid production and development in Semarang City. This program served as a vital bridge for applying biological science to the real world, providing students with the opportunity to immerse themselves directly in the industrial culture of orchid cultivation.
Under the guidance of professional mentors, the students were trained to understand the entire cultivation process, including greenhouse management, plant care, and marketing, effectively preparing them with essential skills for their future careers. Over nearly three months, the students engaged in a comprehensive range of hands-on activities, starting with greenhouse maintenance tasks such as weeding, sterilization of planting areas, humidity regulation, and environmental sanitation. They also learned fundamental cultivation processes, which included identifying orchid species, repotting, selecting appropriate planting media like charcoal, kadaka (bird’s-nest fern), and fern, as well as performing routine watering, fertilization, and observation of vegetative growth.
Beyond basic cultivation, the students were introduced to advanced techniques in orchid tissue culture, learning the theory and practice of bottle sterilization, plantlet acclimatization, culture media selection, contamination handling, labeling, stock sorting, and plant database management. To gain insight into agribusiness, they participated in the Ornamental Plant Exhibition, where they managed plant displays for public events, provided customer service, executed sales communication strategies, and practiced price negotiation. Through this program, the students gained deep technical knowledge regarding orchid physiology, characteristics, care techniques, and greenhouse management, while also learning direct marketing strategies for ornamental plants. Additionally, the experience significantly improved their soft skills, including communication, problem-solving, work ethics, discipline, documentation, and public service capabilities. Ultimately, this industrial internship provided tangible benefits by enhancing student readiness for the workforce, integrating academic theory with field practice, supporting entrepreneurial skill development, and strengthening the collaborative relationship between the education sector and the industry.
