Facing Digital Economy Era, High Skills Professional Needed

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - Minister of National Development Planning / Head of National Development Planning Agency Bambang Brodjonegoro said Indonesia needs workers with medium to high skills to face the era of economic digitization.

Met after the seminar "Quo Vadis Ekonomi Digital Indonesia" in Jakarta, Wednesday, Bambang said to obtain high-level workers required a competency-based certification.

Such certification can be obtained through vocational education whose basis is not formal education, such as vocational training center (BLK). This is done so that later employers can get a workforce that has a clear standard of skills.

Bambang also said that workers who get certification of certain competencies do not have to worry about not being absorbed by the workforce because they will enter the category of work that is not easily replaced by automation.

"Finally we can reduce the unemployment caused by the digitalization, by creating a workforce that will be able to enter the job market in the digital era," he said.

Other strategic policies for improving skilled workers are made through the addition of training curricula as well as encouraging competency-based and internship training.

"The curriculum should be adjusted, but most importantly there should be apprenticeship of both teachers and students so that the gap on labor market and education is getting smaller," Bambang said.

He said that disruptions in the labor market due to the digital economy led to 52.6 million (51.8 percent) of jobs in Indonesia potentially being replaced by automation.

Jobs affected by economic digitization include accountants, laborers, blacksmiths, administrative staff, warehouse officers, cashiers, and ticket attendants.

Bambang also mentioned that there are some jobs that will still be needed in the future, including designers, chefs, teachers, lecturers, doctors, architects, technicians, as well as creative and performing artists. (Ant)