Indonesia boosts its workforce through vocational training revival

The Indonesian government is prioritising the revitalisation of vocational training as a crucial step in improving the country’s human resources.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Ministry of Manpower’s Vocational Building in Jakarta, Ida Fauziyah, Minister of Manpower, outlined the three pivotal advantages of this strategy. The first advantage is a shortened training duration compared to formal education. This offers quicker access to job-ready skills.

Second, training is demand-driven, ensuring alignment with the specific needs of the job market. Lastly, the vocational training is designed to be inclusive, catering to all segments of society, and integrates with social safety net programmes.

“These three advantages can be a solution for the Indonesian workforce that is still dominated by elementary and middle school graduates,” Ida said.

This initiative aligns with the government’s commitment to the country’s human resources, as per Presidential Decree Number 68 of 2022, which looks to improve vocational education and training’s accessibility, quality, and relevance to the job market.

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The newly established Vocational Building will serve as a hub for community access to vocational training, ensuring that it reaches all stakeholders, reported Antara.

Addressing the demographic bonus and the dynamic job market, the minister stressed the importance of responsive vocational education and training to equip individuals with relevant competencies. She acknowledged the existing mismatch between education and training outputs and job market requirements, and concluded, “With this revitalisation, we hope that the output from vocational education or training can answer the job market needs.”