BP3MI NTT Encourages Young Generation to Seize Formal Employment Opportunities in Germany
The Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Agency (BP3MI) of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) is collaborating with GIZ Germany to encourage the province’s youth to utilise formal employment opportunities in Germany through vocational education and skilled labour migration.
Speaking in Kupang on Monday, the Head of BP3MI NTT, Suratmi Hamida, emphasised that the available job opportunities in Germany must be leveraged to improve the quality of placements for migrant workers from NTT. “Migrant workers from NTT must move up a level. Moving forward, we want more people from NTT to work in the formal sector, which offers better protection, clear career paths, and more competitive incomes,” she stated.
This was conveyed during a workshop regarding placement opportunities through the Fachkräfte Einwanderungsgesetz (FEG) scheme and the German Ausbildung programme. Suratmi explained that the activity is a joint effort to expand access for the NTT community to vocational education and formal jobs in Germany via safe, legal, and procedural routes.
According to her, NTT possesses significant human resource potential that needs to be nurtured to compete in formal sectors requiring specialised skills and competencies. “NTT must not only be known as a region that sends migrant workers for domestic sectors, but also as a provider of professional labour capable of competing in the international labour market, particularly in Germany,” Suratmi asserted.
During the event, participants received information regarding labour migration opportunities through the FEG (German Skilled Immigration Act), which provides broader opportunities for foreign workers possessing the competencies and qualifications required by the German labour market. Additionally, participants gained an understanding of the Ausbildung programme, a vocational education and training system that combines school-based learning with direct practical training within companies. Through this programme, participants can acquire industry-required skills while gaining recognised work experience in Germany.
Furthermore, Suratmi noted that increasing the placement of formal migrant workers cannot be achieved by a single party alone. “Strong collaboration is required between the government, educational institutions, training centres, the business world, and international partners to prepare a workforce that possesses the competence, certification, and foreign language proficiency required by the global labour market,” she said.
She added that through this workshop, BP3MI NTT hopes more of NTT’s younger generation will understand the opportunities in vocational education and formal employment in Germany and be motivated to prepare themselves more effectively. “This activity is also expected to be a concrete step in increasing the number of formal migrant worker placements from NTT to Germany and other European countries in a safe, legal, and dignified manner,” she concluded.
The event was attended by representatives from local government, universities, Vocational High School Special Job Fairs (BKK) across Kupang, job training institutions, Indonesian migrant worker placement agencies (P3MI), PD Flobamor, and various other stakeholders.