Airlangga Says National Internship Programme Could Be an Economic Game Changer

The National Internship and Vocational Training Programme 2026 has officially commenced, following President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to boost national competitiveness and ensure Indonesia can seize opportunities amid global changes. The programme will target 150,000 recent university graduates. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto officially launched the first batch of the 2026 University Graduate Internship Programme at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs on Monday (10/8/2026). Airlangga said the programme is expected to be a game changer for strengthening the competence, work experience, and readiness of the younger generation to enter the job market and meet the needs of a continuously developing industry. “From the results of the first batch in 2025, 84% of participants were satisfied, and this certainly becomes an experience for entering other sectors. So, this sector within the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs also involves public policy, which is certainly a very interesting experience for these recent graduates,” said Airlangga Hartarto. Airlangga explained that 101 participants are taking part in the national internship programme and were declared successful in the selection process. Coming from various disciplines, all selected participants have undergone a rigorous series of selection processes to ensure they possess the competence, potential, and readiness required by the programme. “The diversity of the participants’ backgrounds is expected to be a valuable opportunity for mutual learning and capacity building during the six-month programme. Through this programme, participants are expected to develop critical thinking skills, prioritise problem-solving, build teamwork, and strengthen integrity and competence through collaboration with various work units,” Airlangga continued. Airlangga also provided an overview of the national economic policy formulation process carried out at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, ranging from policy analysis and cross-ministerial/institutional and business coordination to public consultations to ensure the resulting policies benefit the public. These various processes can serve as tools for participants to deepen the competencies they will acquire during their internship at the ministry. “I believe that all of you are future leaders of Indonesia. Indonesia will enter its golden generation in 2045, and I am confident that those in front of me here, with 20 years of experience ahead, will shepherd Golden Indonesia,” Airlangga stated. Going forward, Airlangga advised mentors to provide the best guidance to the interns, particularly regarding public policy, which plays a vital role in the execution of ministerial and institutional duties. Additionally, participants are expected to be involved in various real-world activities that provide experience and a positive impact. Meanwhile, Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Spokesperson Haryo Limanseto expressed hope that the interns would build integrity, enhance competence and adaptability, and strengthen collaboration. “The hope is that in the future, these participants can build integrity, enhance competence and be adaptive, because current university graduates are mostly part of Gen Z who are tech-savvy, so they can contribute to the decision-making process. Strengthening collaboration is also important, as cross-disciplinary cooperation is a crucial asset in facing development challenges,” said Haryo.