Apindo introduces AUM programme to sharpen students' entrepreneurial spirit

The Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo) has introduced the Apindo UMKM Merdeka (AUM) independent internship programme to sharpen and strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit of university students.

Speaking at a public lecture in Makassar on Monday, Apindo Chairperson Shinta Widjaja Kamdani said the AUM programme serves as a collaborative platform between academics, UMKM players, and industrial businesses to develop students’ entrepreneurial skills as a foundation for their post-graduation careers.

“The students do not intern in large industries but in UMKM. One of the main lessons is that students can gain direct experience of being UMKM players,” she said.

She explained that Apindo has up to 65,000 UMKM under its mentorship programme. These micro, small, and medium enterprises, spread across the archipelago, are then selected to determine which are suitable to become AUM programme locations.

According to her, the AUM programme is already running in 13 provinces, including East Java and West Java. The programme also receives mentoring support from large industries.

“We are now operating in 13 provinces. This flagship programme greatly helps not only students but also the UMKM players themselves,” she told hundreds of students from various campuses in Makassar.

In addition, Shinta said during the ‘Apindo Goes to Campus’ event that the association has several other UMKM development programmes, including the UMKM Academy and the UMKM Dashboard, which aims to facilitate the digitalisation of UMKM data to promote a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

“The UMKM Dashboard displays information regarding the needs of UMKM. This platform also supports business practices that advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” she explained. “We also encourage the UMKM under Apindo’s guidance to enter the SDG sphere.”