Depok Prepares to Build BLK Focused on Creative and Digital Economy

The Depok City Government (Pemkot) in West Java is preparing a building for the Balai Latihan Kerja (BLK) focused on developing skills in the creative and digital industries. The Head of the Regional Development Planning, Research, and Innovation Agency (Bapperida) of Depok City, Dadang Wihana, said on Monday that the planned location for the BLK construction is in Kampung Kekupu, Sawangan. “For the BLK, the site is in Kampung Kekupu, behind Depok Maharaja. This year, we will begin preparing the Feasibility Study and Detailed Engineering Design (DED),” he stated. He mentioned that the prepared land area is around 4,000 square metres. However, budget needs are still awaiting the results of the preparation. Dadang targets that the physical construction of the BLK can start in 2027 and be completed at the latest in 2028. “Insha Allah, next year or 2027 we can start construction, at the latest 2028,” he said. In the meantime, while awaiting construction, training programmes will be run through temporary facilities. These programmes will also be developed through collaboration with the Ministry of Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Protection. According to Dadang, Depok’s BLK will not be like the usual vocational training centres equipped with dormitories. “So, we are not a BLK that has accommodation and so on, but as a node or hub,” he explained. In addition, the BLK will also become a centre for workforce preparation, including for communities who want to work abroad through the Depok Maju Go Global (DMGG) programme. In the future, Depok’s BLK will focus on developing the creative and digital industries, adjusting to the region’s economic potential. “In Depok, it will be more towards the creative industry,” he said. “The most dominant is culinary. Because the current trend in eating and drinking is increasing quite high,” he explained. With this concept, Depok’s BLK is expected to become a centre for developing adaptive creative talents in line with the times, while also encouraging the competitiveness of the workforce at the national to global level.