Unemployed graduates<\/p>\n
The government has again expressed great concern over the
\nincreasing number of educated people, including university
\ngraduates, among Indonesia's unemployed ranks. And, as in the
\npast, whenever the issue of the educated unemployed surfaces, the
\ngovernment stresses the need for further educational reform.
\nMinister of Information Harmoko, who explained the unemployment
\nproblem after the monthly limited cabinet session on the economy
\nWednesday, also repeated the government's old plans on incentives
\nfor the generation of self-employment.<\/p>\n
The increasing number of high school and university graduates
\nwho are seeking jobs but are unemployed should indeed raise great
\nconcerns. These graduates, different from the jobless with only
\nprimary schooling, obviously do not accept their fate or
\ncondition as the act of God. They tend to be more vocal in airing
\ntheir disillusionment. Because their aspirations and expectations
\nare usually much higher than those of their fellow villagers,
\nthey mostly prefer the urban areas, where the competition for
\njobs is more fierce and the chance for them to land jobs is very
\nslim.<\/p>\n
Unemployed graduates of high schools and universities also
\nrepresent a waste of resources, as the government has invested a
\na lot in their education. In the meantime, the capital costs of
\nstarting up investment ventures are made higher than those in
\nother countries because of the great difficulties in getting
\nskilled manpower. Investors are forced to spend a great deal to
\nget qualified workers.<\/p>\n
The government, however, has yet to work out concrete programs
\nto cope with the problem. Both the ministers of manpower and
\neducation and culture have, over the past few years, often talked
\nabout what they call "link and match" between education and
\nmanpower needs. But we have not yet seen any coordinated efforts
\nwhich are effective for linking the educational and vocational
\nsystems with the business sector.<\/p>\n
The government has yet to set up a body which will function as
\na focal point for the development of nationally identified and
\nagreed on competency standards which would provide a bridge
\nbetween the industry and vocational training and the education
\nsystem. Such a body is required to oversee mutual recognition of
\ntraining activities in relation to accreditation of courses,
\ncredit transfers, recognition of prior learning and certification
\nof individuals. Without such standardization and recognition, the
\nnumerous non-degree vocational schools or institutes which have
\nbeen mushrooming over the past few years are poised to increase
\nthe number of academic graduates with unmarketable trades or
\nskills.<\/p>\n
The linkage between the educational system and the business
\nsector should be supported by an extensive apprenticeship system
\nto provide the trainees with a combination of on-the-job training
\nin a factory and theoretical education in school. A well-
\norganized apprenticeship system is mutually beneficial because
\nboth the trainees and the potential employer share in the
\ntraining and educational costs. It has the potential to be
\nsustainable because the market mechanism is applied to the
\ntrainees, schools and employers. Such a system also will ease the
\npains and problems usually occurring in the transition between
\nschool and work.<\/p>\n
Minister Harmoko also talked about incentives for university
\ngraduates to create self-employment. We are still uncertain about
\nwhat he meant by incentives, but the most glaring problem faced
\nin the marketplace is related to the great difficulties in
\nstarting up small businesses.<\/p>\n
Many university graduates intending to start up businesses of
\ntheir own are already discouraged at the outset, as they find
\nthemselves bogged down in the maze of regulatory processing of
\nnumerous permits. Hence, the most important incentive should be
\nthe easing and simplification of permits for starting up small
\nenterprises, both in the rural and urban areas.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unemployed-graduates-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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