Kick-off at UTB: 'SMK Go Global' to be Government Weapon Against Unemployment via Global Job Market

The government continues to accelerate the readiness of prospective Indonesian migrant workers (CPMI) to penetrate the international labour market through the priority programme ‘SMK Go Global’.

This programme, which aims to increase the capacity and competitiveness of domestic talent, officially commenced its implementation (kick-off) for the West Java region on Wednesday, 26 August 2026.

The SMK Go Global programme is a presidential directive to prepare competent and professional Indonesian workers. Nationally, the government targets the preparation of 500,000 skilled workers to work abroad throughout the 2026-2029 period.

The largest portion, namely 300,000 people, is targeted to come from vocational high school (SMK) graduates, while the remainder will come from other levels of general education.

For the West Java region, the programme’s kick-off was centred at the Migrant Centre of Bandung University of Technology (UTB) and was attended directly by regional officials, the police, and relevant ministries.

It is noted that 1,280 prospective migrant workers from West Java will undergo intensive training for one to three months before being deployed to their destination countries.

The Head of BP3MI West Java, Kombes Pol. Singg_h Hermawan, explained that the training materials are specifically designed to align with current global industrial needs.

“Training is available in several sectors at UTB, including production operations, manufacturing, and English. There is also Japanese language and nursery training. SMK Go Global is for everyone who wishes to go abroad and requires capacity building,” he said.

In addition to equipping participants with technical and language skills, Singgih emphasised the importance of mental readiness and the ability to adapt in foreign countries.

“We hope that the participants at UTB can carry out the training well, remain enthusiastic, and maintain mental fortitude. This is important because we will be going abroad, far from our families, so mental preparation is essential so that we remain competitive when working overseas,” he asserted.

In line with this, the Rector of UTB, Dr Muchammad Naseer—as the leader of the institution hosting the selection and training stages—underlined that the SMK Go Global programme focuses on the formation of a professional attitude. He noted that proficient skills would be futile if not accompanied by a hardworking character.