College grads inspired to be job creators<\/p>\n
Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indra Marwan, a 32-year-old finance and banking major has filled
\nout hundreds of job applications over the last five years.
\nDespite two years experience in a financial institution, he has
\nnot been able to get any job since he was laid off in 1997.<\/p>\n
Oddie Bahar, 23, a fresh graduate of Bandung Institute of
\nTechnology majoring in fine arts, said that he chose not to apply
\nfor a formal job due to the unconducive labor market but,
\ninstead, was trying out his entrepreneurial skills.<\/p>\n
Indra and Oddie are two of nearly one million job seekers who
\nhave spent some five years studying at university but are still
\nunemployed.<\/p>\n
Education expert Arief Rachman regretted that students are
\nbeen given too many scientific theories during their study and no
\nprograms were implemented to develop practical skills to apply
\ntheir knowledge in the real world.<\/p>\n
\"Universities should change the students' mind-set from being
\njob seekers to job creators through an equal balance of theory
\nand practice in every lecture,\" he told The Jakarta Post<\/p>\n
The high unemployment rate among college graduates was
\nrevealed in the latest report of the Central Bureau of Statistics
\n(BPS) last Monday. It reported that some 7.7 percent of 8 million
\njobless people were college graduates.<\/p>\n
The country has a total labor force of 97.6 million.<\/p>\n
\"This is not something I had anticipated. I have to work as an
\nemployee because it is impossible for me to establish my own
\nfinance company,\" Indra said, adding that his job applications
\nwere often rejected since most companies sought candidates from
\nreputable universities and with several years work experience.<\/p>\n
University of Indonesia Rector Usman Chatib Warsa said that
\nthe inclusion of entrepreneurship in universities' curriculum
\nwould help encourage graduates to create jobs, instead of seeking
\njobs.<\/p>\n
\"Graduates from any discipline must be able to create jobs
\nbecause with the entrepreneurship program, they are expected to
\nhave the competence and skills to do business ,\" he said, adding
\nthat the Ministry of National Education has suggested that
\nuniversities develop the entrepreneurship program in their
\nundergraduate curriculum.<\/p>\n
Usman believes that the excessive number of university
\ngraduates and limited available jobs would not be a problem if
\nuniversities prepare students with entrepreneurial skills.<\/p>\n
\"I decided to apply my know-how in fine arts through drawing
\ncomics so that I don't have to be concerned with the fierce
\ncompetition among job seekers,\" Oddie said.<\/p>\n
Arief, also the chairman of the National Committee for UNESCO,
\nurged the government and universities to inform prospective
\nstudents about the availability of job opportunities before they
\nchose their field of study.<\/p>\n
\"The government can also make strategic plans and based on
\navailable data, provide information as to what disciplines would
\nbe useful, because the data will show which market is already
\nsaturated by graduates from certain majors,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/college-grads-inspired-to-be-job-creators-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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