Manpower Minister backs young innovators to create jobs

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Manpower Minister Yassierli supports young people becoming innovators who do not merely seek jobs, but also create them.

“I strongly support initiatives like this. The nation’s best young people should not only look for job vacancies, but also be able to create jobs,” Yassierli said in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He also highlighted the need to increase the number of innovators in Indonesia. The potential of university graduates, he said, should be better harnessed so that they are not only absorbed into the labour market, but also create employment opportunities for others.

“Young people should step forward as innovators. It is innovation that will increase productivity,” the Manpower Minister said.

According to Yassierli, innovation needs to be supported by an ecosystem that enables young people to develop and produce useful solutions.

He said government and universities therefore needed to collaborate to expand opportunities for young people to develop technology.

“The government must be involved, and our task ahead is to bring these efforts together,” Yassierli said.

One event aimed at promoting innovation among young people is GenoHack 2026, themed the 2026 Genomic Deeptech Hackathon.

At the final round, held at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in Bandung, West Java, on Sunday (25 October), nine finalists presented ideas and prototypes for solutions based on genomic technology.

Yassierli praised the event as a platform for young people to develop ideas into solutions.

He hoped similar activities would be expanded to more universities, giving more young people the opportunity to innovate and create business opportunities.