Airlangga emphasises importance of reskilling and upskilling young workforce

Jakarta — Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has emphasised the importance of reskilling and upskilling programmes for young workers, including secondary school and vocational school graduates.

“This aligns with the government’s policy direction to realise superior Indonesian human resources for the Golden Indonesia by 2045,” Minister Airlangga said in Jakarta on Friday.

According to data from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, the number of secondary and vocational school graduates in 2024–2025 is 3.28 million people.

Airlangga stated that 20 per cent (31.05 million people) of Indonesia’s total workforce consists of secondary school graduates, whilst vocational school graduates account for 14 per cent (20.8 million people) of the nation’s total workforce of 148 million people.

Consequently, the government considers it essential for young workers to possess skills and competency certificates to increase opportunities for employment in the formal sector.

The government, through the Ministry of Manpower, is now preparing the National Vocational Training programme for secondary and vocational school graduates, scheduled to commence in April 2026.

The Ministry of Manpower has already launched the first phase of National Vocational Training and is providing 37 training groups or vocational tracks, including information technology, communications, business, management, tourism, fashion, automotive, electrical work, agricultural mechanisation, and construction.

The vocational training process will be conducted online, in-person, and in hybrid formats with certified mentors.

The government is also providing several facilities for programme participants, including lunch, daily transport allowance of Rp20,000 (approximately £1), as well as work accident insurance and death benefit coverage.

Additionally, training modules and competency certificates from the National Professional Certification Board will be provided upon completion of the programme.

“Hopefully, secondary and vocational school students can participate in this programme, which bridges the gap between education and the workplace,” said Minister Airlangga.

More information about the National Vocational Training programme can be accessed through the skilhub.kemenaker.go.id website.