Workers reminded over tougher competition in mining sector<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Director General of Mines Kuntoro Mangkusubroto
\nreminded mining industry executives yesterday of the growing
\ncompetition in the employment market ahead of the implementation
\nof free trade in the region.<\/p>\n
\"By the year 2020, we will find professional workers moving
\nunhindered through Asia-Pacific countries, which will no longer
\nhave trade restrictions,\" Kuntoro said at the opening ceremony of
\na national conference on public and private partnership in
\ntraining and vocational education for the mining industry in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum has agreed to
\nliberalize trade and investment by 2010 for its developing member
\neconomies and by 2020 for its developed members.<\/p>\n
Kuntoro said that current restrictions on foreigners'
\nemployment in national firms will no longer be possible \"unless
\nwe are well prepared to face retaliation from other countries.\"<\/p>\n
At the conference, which was sponsored by PT Redecon -- an
\nIndonesian mining consultantcy -- Box Hill Institute of Technical
\nand Further Education, of Australia, and the Directorate General
\nof Mines, he said that approximately 2.6 percent of national
\nincome should come from the mining sub-sector.<\/p>\n
\"This will requires strategic policies to accomplish. Human
\nresource development aimed at fulfilling increasing the demand
\nfor a skilled and professional workforce through effective
\nimplementation of education and training programs is an important
\ncomponent of such a policy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A deputy chairman of the Indonesian Mining Association, M.
\nSimatupang, noted that foreign companies still dominate the
\nIndonesian mining sector, which employs 30 percent of the
\ncountry's 57,000 foreign workers.<\/p>\n
According to data from the Ministry of Manpower, the
\nemployment of 57,000 foreign workers costs Indonesia US$2.4
\nbillion a year, compared to the earnings of $600 million
\nrepatriated by 290,000 Indonesians working overseas.<\/p>\n
Ismid Hadad, the chairman of Redecon, said that the conference
\nwas aimed at solving problems in vocational education and
\ntraining which are badly needed by mining firms' workers in the
\ncountry. (13)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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