The Mechanical Engineering Student Association of Polman Negeri Babel Enhances New Student Creativity Through the 2025 Student Creativity Program (PKM)
Resource person and lecturer of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Robert Napitupulu, M.T., while giving a presentation on determining PKM ideas and showing examples of machine designs in front of 210 PKM student participants.
The Mechanical Engineering Department Association (HMJ RM) of the Bangka Belitung State Manufacturing Polytechnic once again made a positive impact through the Student Creativity Program (PKM) held on Friday (November 14, 2025). This activity provided an initial platform for first-year students to develop a scientific mindset while increasing their awareness of technological developments.
A total of 210 first-year students from the Mechanical Engineering Department participated in this activity, challenged to write a scientific paper and design a machine as part of this year's PKM competition.
The event was further enhanced by the presence of a resource person and lecturer from the Mechanical Engineering Department, Robert Napitupulu, M.T., who presented ideas for the PKM title and displayed examples of machine design work that can serve as references for students.
Robert stated that creativity and the courage to experiment are essential foundations for engineering students.
"Good design is not just about appearance, but how the idea can solve real-world problems," he explained.
The Head of the Mechanical Engineering Student Association (HMJ), Fadhil Fajrullah, believes that PKM (Community Creativity Program) is an important tool in shaping the intellectual mindset of new students. He stated, "Students need to be accustomed to facing challenges from the start to be able to compete amidst the rapid development of industrial technology."
In addition to academic reinforcement, PKM also has a significant impact on the development of soft skills. Students are trained to work collaboratively, build effective communication, and solve problems creatively—skills that are highly needed in the manufacturing industry," he added.
Fadhil added that the RM Student Association (HMJ) is currently preparing a delegation to participate in a competition at Bangka Belitung University (UBB).
"This preparation is carried out through intensive training and direct mentoring from the supervising lecturers to ensure top performance during the competition," he said.
When contacted on Wednesday (November 19, 2025), the Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department, Dr. Ilham Ary Wahyudie, M.T.**, explained that this year's PKM implementation adopts a different concept than previous years. "First-year students are directed to play an active role in supporting the achievement of Polman Babel's quality standards, especially point STD.403.PT2, which also contributes to the fulfillment of Key Performance Indicator (IKU) 2," he concluded.
"With this synergy between HMJ RM activities and quality targets and IKU achievements, this will provide a new strength for the department in accelerating the achievement of institutional targets and ensuring the sustainability and improvement of study program accreditation," he emphasized.
Dr. Ilham hopes students will participate in all series of activities with enthusiasm and full responsibility, and he hopes that Mechanical Engineering students will be able to demonstrate their abilities.
"They must adapt well to campus dynamics and be ready to play an active role in supporting the institution's progress," he concluded.
