Gibran Urges Collaboration Between Schools and Industry to Support EV Ecosystem
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Vice President Gibrability Rakabuming Raka has encouraged the establishment of collaboration between the world of education and industry in an effort to support the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem. The Vice President emphasised this during a visit to the PT Tangkas Motor Listrik Assembly Factory in Tangerang Regency, Banten, on Thursday.
According to statements received in Jakarta, the visit is part of the government’s efforts to accelerate the development of the national EV ecosystem by strengthening synergy between education and industry to prepare the necessary human resources. This move aligns with the directives of President Prabowo Subianto, who emphasises the importance of developing superior human resources through education that is relevant to industrial needs to support national downstreaming and industrialisation.
To begin the activity, Gibran inspected the production facilities of the PT Tangkas Motor Listrik Assembly Factory to observe the electric vehicle assembly process and its production ecosystem directly. The Vice President also test-drove one of the electric motorcycles produced by the automotive company as a form of support for the development of the national EV industry.
Following the inspection, Gibran engaged in a dialogue with vocational high school (SMK) students and university students who had previously participated in a workshop regarding the electric vehicle production ecosystem. Anton, a student from the ATMI Cikarang Industrial Polytechnic, asked about the government’s expectations regarding the contributions that students and schools can provide to support the development of the EV industry in Indonesia.
“What are your expectations from the industry, and perhaps from the state, regarding what we can do concretely as students and SMK students? What contribution can we provide to this industry?” Anton asked.
Responding to the question, the Vice President emphasised that industrial progress must be built through close collaboration between industry players and the educational world so that all stakeholders can contribute to preparing future talent. “I entrust this to the students, all the learners, teachers, and lecturers here. Moving forward, we want everyone here to be able to participate. Therefore, there must be cooperation between the industry, industry players, and schools,” he said.
According to Gibrante, this cooperation can be realised through the strengthening of joint research as well as the alignment of curricula with technological developments and ever-changing industrial needs. “Whether it is through research or curriculum adjustments to match current trends. Everything is moving towards EV now. Therefore, what is studied in schools must be connected to what exists in the industry,” he added.
In addition to building synergy with the educational sector, the Vice President also believes that the industry plays a vital role in increasing public literacy regarding the benefits of electric vehicles as part of the acceleration of the national energy transition. “We want the industry to also contribute to the world of education. I believe there will also be market education regarding awareness of the importance of electric motorcycles and electric cars,” he stated.
Furthermore, Gibran asserted that the development of electric vehicles not only provides environmental benefits but also serves as a strategic step to strengthen national energy security by reducing dependence on fuel imports. “In addition to being more environmentally friendly and other benefits, we must save on oil and fuel imports in the future. Therefore, one of the solutions is electric motorcycles,” he concluded.