Khofifah: East Java ready to become national vocational education hub

East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa has affirmed that the province is ready to become a national centre for vocational education development through strengthening the talent ecosystem, competency certification, industry partnerships, and international networks. “Today, a certificate alone is not enough. The business and industrial world requires competency proven through certification,” Governor Khofifah said in Surabaya on Tuesday. Speaking before delegates of the 2026 Indonesian Vocational Olympiad (OLIVIA) XI, comprising rectors, deans, academics, professors, university delegates from various provinces, and international guests, Khofifah explained that East Java has built a comprehensive vocational education ecosystem. The ecosystem includes talent development from school age, improving teacher competency, skills certification, strengthening partnerships with the Business, Industrial, and Employment World (DUDIKA), and expanding international networks through internship programmes, scholarships, and overseas job placements. According to Khofifah, this success is the result of the commitment and consistency of the East Java Provincial Government together with universities and DUDIKA in building a sustainable talent development system. One indicator of this success is East Java’s achievement in retaining the title of overall champion of the National Student Competency Competition (LKS) for four consecutive years. Khofifah explained that this achievement is supported by an integrated development system so that students receive continuous guidance and their potential develops optimally. The success of East Java’s vocational education, she said, is also reflected in the increasingly broad access for graduates to the international job market. To date, 4,915 East Java Vocational High School (SMK) students have obtained internships or jobs in 13 countries. “If talented children meet the right mentors and ecosystem, the results will be extraordinary. They will become a great force for Indonesia,” she said. Khofifah invited universities, government, the business world, and industry to continue strengthening collaboration to build a vocational education ecosystem that is adaptive to technological developments, labour market needs, and global challenges. “Through strong collaboration, I am optimistic that more young Indonesian talents will emerge from vocational education and become the driving force for the nation’s progress,” said East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa.