Government Opens Registration for SMK Go Global Programme on 12 August

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI) will open registration for the SMK Go Global programme on 12 August to provide young Indonesian talents with specific skills the opportunity to work abroad. The programme is targeted to improve skills and facilitate the placement of 40,000 Indonesian workers in 2026. “Registration will open on 12 August and information has been published by all our BP3MI offices in 23 provinces,” said Minister of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers Mukhtarudin during a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday. He stated that the programme will prepare skilled workers for various priority sectors, such as caregivers, nurses, manufacturing, construction, welding, hospitality, transportation, and agriculture. Programme participants will be directed to fill job opportunities in Japan, Germany, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Turkey, Poland, the Maldives, and other European countries according to market demand. Mukhtarudin stated that the government has ensured the availability of labour markets in these countries, so participants can be trained according to the specific skills required in each destination. Given that the year has entered the second half, the SMK Go Global programme for 2026 will focus on upskilling participants through language training, technical training, and certification. Mukhtarudin explained that participants must already possess at least one specific skill needed in the destination country to join the programme. For example, if a participant already has welding skills, the government will provide language training and facilitate certification. Similarly, if someone already has adequate language proficiency according to the destination country’s requirements, they will receive technical training and certification. “Because this is a quick win programme, we are starting with upskilling. So, not from scratch,” said Mukhtarudin. Meanwhile, the implementation of the SMK Go Global programme in 2027 and subsequent years is expected to be open to participants who do not yet have any skills, due to the longer programme duration. The programme next year is expected to start in January, with the entire process projected to last six to seven months. “Because the time is longer, the programme can last 6 to 7 months. So, language training might be 3 months, technical skill training 1 to 2 months, and certification maybe 1 to 2 days,” he added.