Working in the field of management is not my ambition. Holding an academic degree in management is not my ambition either.
Working in the legal field was not my ambition. Holding an academic degree in law and a professional qualification as an advocate was not my ambition either.
Working in the field of psychology—whether as a practitioner, the owner of a psychology practice, or a lecturer—was never my ambition. Nor was obtaining bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology or qualifying as a professional psychologist.
After earning my bachelor's degree in Fisheries, I aspired to become a researcher at an international marine organization, focusing specifically on environmental pollution. My reasons were the high earning potential and a love for the natural environment that dated back to my elementary school days. Consequently, I applied for the British Chevening Award scholarship to pursue a master's degree in marine pollution. Out of 80 applicants, only two remained after the multi-stage selection process: myself (a Fisheries graduate from Diponegoro University) and another candidate (a Fisheries graduate from Bogor Agricultural University). During the final interview, I was immediately informed that I had not been selected because I was already employed at Bank BNI (Bank Negara Indonesia). "We do not award scholarships to people working in banking," said Dr. David Rogerson—who was only 25 years old—during my interview. I suspect the other candidate secured the scholarship because she was working as an aquarium technician at SeaWorld.
In "Episode I" of my career—spanning my twenties to my early fifties—I worked in management and industrial psychology (across sectors such as manufacturing, banking, hospitality, real estate, automotive dealerships, and vocational training) simply because those were the opportunities immediately available to me. Initially, I approached these roles armed with the management principles and engineering logic I had acquired during my undergraduate studies in Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology. However, due to the complexity of the challenges I faced, I pursued further education while working—completing master’s degrees in Management and Psychology, bachelor’s degrees in Law and Psychology, and professional training programs for advocates and psychologists. Essentially, I undertook these additional studies because the demands of the work required them.
Four years before deciding to apply for early retirement, I began pursuing a PhD in Environmental Science. I planned to start my own business so that I could work at a pace of my own choosing. I also wanted to deepen my knowledge of ecology and ecosystems—subjects I had studied during my undergraduate degree in Fisheries/Aquaculture Technology—and integrate that understanding with modern management and business practices.
So, in "Episode II"—spanning my fifties through my seventies—I combined the professional experience gained in "Episode I" (in management and industrial psychology) with my interests and academic background in ecology and ecosystems (stemming from my undergraduate studies in Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology). My work during this phase focused on running my own business—one that operated within an ecosystem that was environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and financially profitable.
In summary: 1) The career I built during "Episode I" (spanning my twenties through my early fifties) relied on the management principles and engineering logic I acquired during my undergraduate studies in Fisheries/Aquaculture Technology. 2) I approached my career in Episode I with great seriousness, even pursuing further studies in Management, Law, and Psychology to ensure I could perform my duties effectively. 3) As I neared retirement from Episode I, I returned to academic study—this time in Ecology, Ecosystems, and Environmental Science—fields that had interested me since my undergraduate days in Fisheries/Aquaculture Technology (ages 19 to 24). 4) In "Episode II" (from my early fifties through my seventies), I built a career by combining the experience gained in Episode I with the interests and academic background from my undergraduate years (specifically regarding Ecology, Ecosystems, and Environmental Science), establishing myself as a business and management practitioner focused on ecologically and socially responsible practices.
Monday morning, July 6 2026 at 09.30 WIB
Dr. Constantinus, S.Pi, S.H., S.Psi, M.M., M.M., M.Psi, Adv., Psi. (Green Industry & Management, Holiparent Food Division)
