Job Seekers’ Confessions: Willing to Delay College Education, Only to Be Hampered by Age Requirements

Jakarta, Kompas.com — People from diverse age and educational backgrounds have been flocking to Gelanggang Remaja Jakarta Utara (GRJU) since Wednesday morning, 20 May 2026. Their arrivals were marked by ambition at the Jakarta Job Fair, which has been held since Tuesday, 19 May 2026. They come with different stories, but the same hope: to secure a job. Each job seeker present has had their own experience of the challenges of finding work. This is what Iki (23), a Civil Engineering graduate, has experienced; he says it is hard to find vacancies matching his skills. When visiting the Jakarta Job Fair, he judged that most of the positions offered come from the sales and marketing sectors. “As for the company, there are already many [positions]. But the shortcoming is likely my own background (education). I personally feel my background isn’t represented here,” he told Kompas.com at the venue on Wednesday. Iki had actually already worked after graduating in 2025. He chose to resign from his previous job to seek experience in other fields, especially those aligned with his education. “I want to try something new again, to grow further. But the background that matches my education,” he said. He believes job seekers nowadays cannot rely solely on diplomas, but also the networks they have. “To find a job, it’s quite hard. And if we don’t build more connections, it is indeed tough,” he said. For him, the knowledge gained during university isn’t merely a formality represented by a degree. He wants graduates to experience work that truly matches what they studied.