Cultivating Digital Talent from Schools: Komdigi Organises Hosting Competition
The Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) is targeting 12 million digital talents by 2030. However, the current availability of digital talent stands at 9.3 million. Consequently, Komdigi aims to produce 450,000 digital talents every year.
This presents a significant challenge, underscorting that digital talent development is no longer an option but a national strategic movement to maintain Indonesia’s economic competitiveness in the digital era.
To address this need, Ngalup.co has been appointed as the organising partner for the Jagoan Hosting Innovation Competition (JHIC) 2026. The programme was initiated by Jagoan Hosting and is supported by the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi).
Through JHIC, Ngalup.co provides a project-based learning space for high school and vocational school (SMA/SMK) students to develop creativity, technological skills, and problem-solving abilities. This year, JHIC has expanded its focus from digital infrastructure to more inclusive digital innovation, making it open to participants from various backgrounds, including those without a prior foundation in information technology.
“We designed JHIC not merely as a competition, but as a learning space that connects participants with real-world challenges and needs in the digital world. We want participants to be brave in developing ideas, testing solutions, and gaining experience relevant to industry needs,” said Andy Novianto, General Manager of Juju Hosting.
JHIC 2026 features several categories, including Web Development and Digital Business Challenge, which encourage participants to develop school websites or application-based digital solutions for various sectors such as careers, finance, tourism, and health. Additionally, there is the Digital Innovation Driver category, which recognises teachers and educators who utilise technology in teaching.
Reflecting on previous years, JHIC has involved over 1,000 participants from various schools across Java, Sulawesi, Sumatra, and Kalimantan. In the 2025 implementation, 185 vocational school students from 30 finalist teams competed nationally by building school websites based on cloud technology. This achievement serves as a stepping stone for JHIC 2026 to expand access and provide a more inclusive digital talent development experience.
“Through JHIC, we want to ensure that the opportunity to learn and innovate in the digital field is not only open to those who already possess technical skills. Ideas, creativity, and the ability to identify problems are also vital components of digital talent,” said Irfan.
In addition to fostering young digital talent, the JHIC 2026 series also serves as a momentum to introduce the use of technology in supporting the competency development of educators. One such initiative is Winasis, a Learning Management System (LMS) developed by Jagoan Hosting to support the training and certification needs of teachers, particularly SMA/SMK teachers in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY).
As part of these activities, approximately 4,600 headteachers and teachers throughout DIY will have the opportunity to try Winasis directly. The platform will eventually be managed by the Department of Education, Youth, and Sports (Dikpora) of DIY as an effort to expand access to more flexible learning and teacher competency development.
“Winasis is a Learning Management System (LMS) resulting from the collaboration between Dikpora Jogja, Jagoan Hosting, and Ngalup for the digitalisation and quality improvement of education and teachers across DIY. The hope is that Winasis can become a solution to expand teachers’ access to learning and competency development more flexibly,” said Andy.
According to Andy, digital talent development must be carried out sustainably and should not only target students. Strengthening teacher competence is also a crucial part, as teachers play a strategic role in preparing a generation capable of adapting to technological advancements.
“JHIC is not just about producing winners. We want to build an experience that makes participants more prepared to face the digital world through training, mentoring, real projects, and opportunities to familiarise themselves with the industry ecosystem. On the other hand, through Winasis, we also see the importance of strengthening the capacity of educators as part of that ecosystem,” added Andy.
The JHIC 2026 series begins with the registration phase from 19 June to 14 August 2026, followed by the Kickoff and Preliminary stages on 12 September 2026 in Yogyakarta, intensive bootcamps, and the final stage on 17 October 2026. JHIC roadshows will also be held in several cities, including Semarang, Yogyakarta, Solo, Purwokerto, Surabaya, and other areas in East Java.
Through the implementation of JHIC 2026, Ngalup.co and Jagoan Hosting are promoting collaboration between industry, the education sector, and the government to create broader access to competency development. These efforts are expected to strengthen Indonesia’s digital talent ecosystem, ranging from educators to the younger generation who will be part of the future digital transformation.