IWIP Opens Industrial Internship Opportunities for North Maluku Students
The need for a workforce with skills suited to the evolving nickel industry highlights the importance of links between universities and the world of work. PT Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) is offering students, particularly those from North Maluku, the opportunity to learn about industrial operations first-hand through its internship programme.
Since it began in 2022, around 470 students from 11 universities across Indonesia have taken part in the IWIP internship programme. A total of 90 students are currently undertaking placements in various company units.
The programme gives students the opportunity to apply what they have learnt at university while becoming familiar with industrial operations, technology, working standards and safety procedures.
One participant is Iwan Pratama Bumi Laksana, a seventh-semester student on the Civil Engineering programme at Khairun University (Unkhair) in Ternate. He is undertaking an internship in the Mining Department, Infrastructure Division, to understand how civil engineering is applied in industrial work.
“During my studies, I have mainly learnt theory, calculations and completed assignments. I wanted to see how the knowledge I have gained is applied in real working conditions,” Iwan said in a written statement on Thursday (22 October 2026).
Twelve Unkhair students are currently taking part in the IWIP internship programme. They come from the Mining Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering programmes. Their placements include the power generation unit, the ferronickel smelter and the human resources development division.
In addition to gaining technical experience, students can develop discipline, a sense of responsibility and communication skills. They also learn about the application of occupational health and safety (OHS) procedures as part of industrial work.
IWIP Human Resources General Manager Rosalina Sangaji said workforce skills development needed to keep pace with industrial growth. She said work experience during education could help students understand companies’ needs and prepare to enter the workforce.
“Human resource development cannot be achieved in a short time. Young people need opportunities and room to keep learning, trying things and developing their abilities. We hope this internship experience will equip them to build their careers,” Rosalina said.
She added that students whose skills match the company’s needs could have the opportunity to contribute further, including by joining IWIP.
In addition to Unkhair, IWIP has internship programme partnerships with 10 other universities: Muhammadiyah University of North Maluku, Ternate Health Polytechnic under the Ministry of Health, Hasanuddin University, Surabaya State University, Jember State Polytechnic, Brawijaya University, Gadjah Mada University, Diponegoro University, Bandung Institute of Technology and Padjadjaran University.
The collaboration is part of efforts to better align university graduates’ skills with industry needs. For students, internships offer a chance to understand workplace standards and operational challenges before entering professional life.
IWIP said developing Indonesia’s human resources was one of the company’s priorities amid the growth of the nickel industry. It also linked this effort to its commitment to sustainable development and the application of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.