My Journey to EMURGO: How a Career Programmer Discovered Blockchain

Table of Contents

Q&A with Erwin, Blockchain Educator at EMURGO Indonesia
How can I apply to work at EMURGO?

In the “My Journey to EMURGO” blog series, we highlight talented individuals at EMURGO and ask them about their paths to EMURGO, their roles, and other questions to shed light on what it is like to work at EMURGO.

EMURGO is a global blockchain technology solutions company with Cardano origins. Our team is composed of more than 100 employees (including remote workers) in locations around the world.

As a founding entity of the Cardano blockchain and its commercial arm, EMURGO leverages Cardano’s environmentally-friendly and decentralized blockchain technology to develop and offer Web3 solutions to solve industries’ most complex challenges.

In this edition of “My Journey to EMURGO,” we speak with Erwin Kurnia, a blockchain and IT educator at EMURGO Indonesia.

At the bottom of the blog, you can also find out how to apply and join us at EMURGO.

Q&A with Erwin, Blockchain Educator at EMURGO Indonesia

Could you introduce yourself?

Erwin: Hello, I’m Erwin Kurnia. I’m a blockchain and IT educator with EMURGO Indonesia (EMURGO’s Indonesia unit) based in Jakarta, Indonesia.

How long have you been working at EMURGO?

Erwin: March 2023 will be my second anniversary of working at EMURGO.

Tell us about your professional background before EMURGO.

Erwin: Before EMURGO, I had been a computer programmer for 30 years in different industries, most recently in tourism. With a background in computer programming, I have had various roles in my tech career as a full-stack developer, project manager, IT manager, and more.

Tell us about how you came to work at EMURGO.

Erwin: In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and then, the whole world went into lockdown for about 2 years. At the time, I was working as a programmer with a tourism company. The tourism industry had been significantly affected by the pandemic as people were isolated at home.

I started to search for other opportunities and soon learned that EMURGO’s Indonesia office was looking for a blockchain educator.

Even with 30 years of computer programming experience, I had hardly known anything about blockchain until then but started to gain more interest. I had heard about cryptocurrency but hadn’t spent much time looking into the technology behind it due to my job.

After spending time discussing my interest and professional background with EMURGO Indonesia CEO Shunsuke Murasaki (currently EMURGO Chief of Staff), he presented me with the unique opportunity to learn more about blockchain technology with EMURGO Indonesia who was offering blockchain courses and workshops.

I decided to take this great opportunity to upskill my career and after many days of sleepless nights upgrading my knowledge, I passed a test given by EMURGO Academy (EMURGO’s blockchain education unit) and was given the chance to teach one batch of their blockchain education course in Indonesia.

Since that chance, I haven’t looked back and continue to teach more of the next generation of blockchain developers and students wanting to learn more about blockchain to empower their own lives.

How is working at EMURGO different compared to your previous companies?

Erwin: Up until now, EMURGO is the best career and working experience compared to all of my previous companies. At EMURGO, we are given a chance to continue developing our career skills and knowledge. As blockchain educators, we are on the front line of learning new technologies related to Cardano and blockchain which always requires us to keep learning. Senior management is very supportive of providing us with a great work environment to promote professional development and build great professional relationships with fellow EMURGO employees.

*A few of EMURGO Indonesia’s blockchain educators*

EMURGO is a founding entity of the Cardano blockchain, one of the largest decentralized blockchain networks in the industry. How has working in blockchain and Web3 benefited your career?

Erwin: As a tech geek, I’m always eager to learn new technologies. Now, working in blockchain and Web3 as a blockchain educator with EMURGO has given me a firsthand opportunity to learn the latest about blockchain technology, especially Cardano. Blockchain and Web3 are expanding so quickly and I believe this is a great time to be in this industry for my self-development and career.

Describe your best moment at EMURGO.

Erwin: I feel the best when I expand my professional knowledge and learn new things before anyone else does which EMURGO allows me to do.

Any favorite perks or benefits about working at EMURGO?

Erwin: Remote work is an awesome benefit that allows me to be more efficient and productive with my time and allows me to connect with EMURGO employees all over the world. At EMURGO Indonesia, we also gather in person to have lunch once in a while regularly.

What advice would you give to those interested in working at EMURGO?

Erwin: Don’t wait for an opportunity to come to you. Be proactive and seek opportunities even if the perfect role is not available. Apply and connect with EMURGO to join us now.