Labour Minister urges university graduates to equip themselves to face the AI era
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Manpower (Menaker) Yassierli has urged university graduates to equip themselves with the necessary preparations to face technological disruptions, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), amid a dynamic job market.
“Become a lifelong learner ready to adapt to all changes in business and technology,” the Minister stated in Jakarta on Monday.
The Minister outlined data indicating that a massive shift in the work landscape is underway.
Citing LinkedIn data, he noted that 80 per cent of current job titles did not exist 20 years ago. It is even predicted that around 50 per cent of existing jobs will become irrelevant in the next ten years.
“The world of work continues to change along with technological advancements. Our biggest challenge today is the digital skills gap. Currently, only 27 per cent of our workers possess digital skills, far below the global standard of 60 to 70 per cent,” Yassierli said.
However, amid this shift in the work landscape, the Minister stated that there are new economic opportunities that must be optimised by the younger generation, such as the green economy, digital platforms, and care economy.
Therefore, to enable university graduates to capture these opportunities in the new work landscape, the Minister introduced the “Triple Readiness” concept.
First, Technical Skills Readiness. He explained that university graduates need to prepare mastery of technical skills relevant to future industries, such as advanced digital skills and green jobs skills.
Second, Human Skills Readiness. Amid the widespread use of AI, the Minister emphasised that human skills such as critical thinking, empathy, leadership, and creativity remain the main differentiators.
“AI will not work optimally without the human touch. Human skills enable users to understand the context, limitations, and risks of AI,” he said.
Third, Market Entry Readiness. The Minister described this readiness as relating to graduates’ ability to understand industry dynamics.
Therefore, he encouraged graduates to have a strong portfolio, internship experience, and competency certifications as concrete proof of their capabilities in the eyes of companies.
In addition, the Minister highlighted the urgency of mastering AI. This aligns with the surge in demand for jobs requiring AI skills in Southeast Asia, which has increased up to 2.4 times in the last five years.
He affirmed the government’s commitment to providing access to competency development for all the nation’s youth.
“Through 44 Vocational and Productivity Training Centres (BPVP) spread from Sabang to Merauke, the Ministry of Manpower continues to intensify reskilling and upskilling programmes,” he said.