Ministry of Industry Continues to Improve Qualified Workers in Outer Industrial Area

By : Ridwan And Aldi Firhand. A | Monday, August 21 2017 - 11:00 IWST

Head of Agency for Industrial Research and Development (BPPI) Ministry of Industry Haris Munandar

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta, the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) assesses the limitations of quality labor in the region to be the government constraint in developing industrial areas outside Java.

Secretary General of the Ministry of Industry, Haris Munandar said the problem that arises is the workforce in the area (outside of Java), because it does not link and match with the needs of the business world and industry.

"In creating quality workforce in the region, the Ministry of Industry has nine Vocational Schools (SMK) using a 30 percent theory of learning systems and 70 percent practice," said Haris in Jakarta (20/8/2017)

He added that nine vocational schools are implementing a competency-based learning system, so that these students return rather late in the afternoon until 16:00 pm and the graduates are almost all absorbed in the world of work.

The nine SMKs are in Banda Aceh specializing in palm oil based processing, Bandar Lampung specializing in processing rubber and cassava. Yogyakarta specialist essential oil production, Pontianak specializes in mechanical and chemical engineering, as well as Makassar specialty of processing cocoa.

As is known, the Ministry of Industry is ready to supply industrial needs to a competent workforce, one of them through graduates of vocational education programs. The reason, skilled human resources (HR) is an important factor in improving the productivity and competitiveness of the manufacturing sector, in addition to capital and technology.

Based on Kemenperin calculations, with an average industry growth of around 5-6 percent per year, it takes more than 500-600 thousand new workers per year.

"We are targeting to produce certified competent workers as much as 220 thousand people in 2017. At least we contribute half of the industry's needs through vocational education," said Haris.

Haris ensures, the education units in the Ministry of Industry have been implementing a competency-based learning system. The graduates are almost all absorbed in the world of work.

"We have been tested and proven, so we get the duty from Mr. President to be a role model in the implementation of vocational education that links and matches with the industry," he concluded.