Profile
Erick Octavian
Erick Octavian, known professionally as Vianzo, is an Indonesian author, content creator and founder based in Sydney, Australia. He writes and publishes practical guides for Indonesians who want to study, work and build a life abroad, drawing on his own path from English classes and entry-level jobs to running a creator business in Sydney. He is the author of two books: Sekolah Sambil Kerja di Australia (Deepublish, 2022, ISBN 978-623-02-5222-8) and Chasing Dreams in Australia: My Travel, Study & Work Adventures (2024). His experience has been covered by Indonesian national media including detikEdu, SINDOnews and Okezone Edukasi.
Fast facts
- Full name
- Erick Octavian
- Also known as
- Vianzo
- Nationality
- Indonesian
- Based in
- Sydney, NSW, Australia
- In Australia since
- 2016
- Occupation
- Author, content creator, founder
- Books
- 2 (2022, 2024)
- Languages
- Indonesian, English
Biography
From an English classroom in Manly to a creator business in Sydney
Erick Octavian arrived in Sydney in 2016 without a scholarship and without a shortcut. He began with intensive English study in Manly, because language was the one thing that decided whether every other door would open.
What followed were the years most migration stories leave out: dishwashing, kitchen work, waiting tables, pastry, housekeeping, cafés and café supervision, market stalls, construction and waterproofing. Each job paid for the next semester and taught him how Australian workplaces actually function - rosters, pay rates, references, and the quiet rules nobody writes down.
He moved from English study into vocational education in web-based technology and web development, and kept working while he studied. By 2020 he had completed his qualifications and started applying the same discipline to writing, publishing and building an audience.
Today he lives in Sydney and works publicly under the name Vianzo, documenting the practical mechanics of studying and working in Australia for an Indonesian audience that rarely gets straight answers.
Education
Language first, then trade-ready qualifications
Erick began with intensive English study at Kaplan in Manly, Sydney, before entering the Australian vocational education system.
He completed a Certificate IV in Web-based Technologies and a Diploma of Web Development by 2020, studying part-time while working. He publicly uses the credential shorthand AdvDip WebDev.
His view on education is unromantic: qualifications are useful, but English proficiency and a verifiable work record are what actually move a career forward in Australia.
Timeline
Milestones
- 2016
Arrived in Sydney
Arrived in Sydney and began intensive English study in Manly.
- 2020
Completed vocational studies
Completed vocational web-development studies while continuing to work.
- 2022
First book published
Published Sekolah Sambil Kerja di Australia.
- 2024
Second book released
Released Chasing Dreams in Australia: My Travel, Study & Work Adventures.
- Today
Building the ecosystem
Building an ecosystem connecting books, education, English learning, creator tools, and career preparation.
Work
Books, platforms and a creator business
Erick writes, publishes and builds products around one subject: how to study, work and stay employable in Australia as an Indonesian.
His first book, Sekolah Sambil Kerja di Australia (Deepublish, 2022), documents the study-while-working route without a scholarship. His second, Chasing Dreams in Australia: My Travel, Study & Work Adventures (2024), widens the frame into travel, study and work as one continuous journey.
Beyond publishing he founded Creatorly, a Sydney-registered creator business, and develops EnglishSantuy for practical English and PejuangDolar for Indonesians earning abroad. Indonesian outlets including detikEdu (2023), SINDOnews (2023) and Okezone Edukasi (2024) have covered his books and his approach.
Principles
How he works
Say the real numbers
Rent, wages, tuition and visa costs are published plainly, because vague advice is what leaves people unprepared.
English is the first job
Language ability decides which jobs, courses and employers are reachable. Everything else follows it.
Document, then teach
Every guide comes from something lived first: a shift worked, a form filed, a mistake paid for.