Lombok, 5 September 2022
As a participant, I am abundantly lucky to get the opportunity to join the training course of Capacity Building for Maintenance of Meteorological Instruments and Early Warning Systems held by KOICA and KMA on 1-12 August 2022. Before the courses begin, the entire participant does the pre-orientation which is an essential part to provide overall information about the program and to check each participant’s internet connection. What most I appreciate about the pre-orientation is the KOICA training committee also adjusted the learning time appropriate for us, Indonesian participants, which are mostly Muslim that need to pray at a certain time.
On the first day of learning, the lecturer opens the program with an introduction to KOICA and Fellowship Program so we as participants know what the KOICA is and what the fellowship program will be. It is necessary for us before we start the courses by the introduction so that it will be easy to learn what lecturers teach us like the proverb ‘out of sight, out of mind’. We also learn the Korean culture, basic expression language, and how to write the Hangeul. That is an immensely amazing experience for me which is the first time I study Hangeul live with a Korean instructor. The lecturers teach us with clear and funny explanations so I truly feel enjoy and easy to understand what he teaches. By that course, it changes my mindset that wringing Hangeul is not as difficult as my mind before.
In the next few days, we learn about the meteorological instrument and early warning system used by the Korea Meteorological Administration such as observation policy, the function of meteorological observation, certificate procedure, AWS, troubleshooting, calibration, quality control, information portal, KMA policy, earthquake, tsunami, volcano, inspection, drone, and vehicle observation. The training courses are arranged with good structures so I can easily understand what the lecturers teach us. The courses are being an eye-opener for me on how the technology used for meteorological observation in Korea is abundantly advanced and fully completed. I am extremely interested in the explanation of drone and vehicle observation for meteorology. Currently, those two technologies are not used yet in Indonesia I guess that it is an essential instrument to fill the gap in observation such as the certain high atmosphere and the region having no meteorological station. The 1st world density surface observation network is also amazing which the accuracy and the validity of meteorological data will be higher too which will impact better weather information. I guess Indonesia should be high on density surface observation network also to get better data.
Besides the lecturing, we also do the brainstorming to analyze and investigate the lacks and problems of Indonesia’s meteorological observation to make action plans for better observation. We learned from the very beginning of the topic selection, assessment, problem analysis, finding the core problem, problem casual mapping, alternatives preparation, and evaluation. Last, by brainstorming, we make action plans to solve the problems which will be the result of this training. So in my opinion this training will be impactful for the better Indonesia meteorological observation.
Joining those training courses I am feeling that it extremely up my knowledge of the maintenance of meteorological instruments and early warning systems. The courses are insightful that very useful to support my job as a meteorological technician in my office especially the implementation on meteorological maintenance, calibration, and inspection. It is also being mind-opener for me to develop innovations and improvements on the meteorological observation system in my office throughout the little part that I can be or maybe the bigger things. With the increasing knowledge got in the training I am sure that it will also make an impact on the better data and information of BMKG as the only meteorological, climatological, and geophysics agency in Indonesia.
Last but not least I hope the follow-up of this fellowship program by KOICA and KMA does not end just with this training. Hopefully, the action plan can be implemented surely as the plan we make that I suggest although it is just a little plan it will give a bigger impact on Indonesia’s meteorological observation and early warning system. I hope the learning process is not only by zoom live but also by visiting the Korean Meteorological Administration to learn directly so we can see and experience the technology for meteorological observation and early warning systems. Also, I wish to directly meet and discuss with the experts and the lectures that it will be our networking between Korea and Indonesia to develop better meteorological observations such as innovation and research. At last, I am a massive thanks to KMA and KOICA for giving me this big opportunity.
APRILIA ERLITA L
Country : Indonesia
KOICA and KMA – Fellowship Program
Capacity Building for Maintenance of Meteorological Instruments and Early Warning System
1000 Miles Journey 