Minister of Manpower: Expanding Vocational Training Access to Create Competent Human Resources

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Manpower (Menaker) Yassierli has emphasised the importance of expanding access to vocational training, particularly through the Ministry of Manpower’s training centres, to realise competent human resources (HR). “I request that all training centres under the Ministry of Manpower continue to expand access to training so that its benefits can be felt by many people,” said the Minister in his statement in Jakarta on Wednesday. One of the initiatives currently being promoted by the government is the National Vocational Training Programme as a concrete step to prepare competent and industry-relevant workers. “This is a concrete step on how the Ministry of Manpower can prepare workers through vocational training,” he stated. In Phase I, the number of participants in this programme reached 10,405 people. They were distributed across 21 Training Centres for Work (BLK), 13 training units under the Directorate General of Vocational Training and Productivity Development, and 46 BLK Regional Technical Implementation Units (UPTD). He cited the National Vocational Training 2026 Phase I, conducted by the Medan Large Vocational Training and Productivity Centre (BBPVP) in North Sumatra, which covered 10 training programmes from 8 fields of study. The programme included AC Technician from the Refrigeration field; Practical Office from the IT field; Barista, Kitchen Management, and Housekeeping Management from the Tourism field; Surveyor from the Building field; Forklift Operator from the Automotive field; 6G Welding from the Welding field; Electrical Power Installation from the Electrical field; and Sewing from the Sewing field. “If our funds are limited, I ask the heads of the centres to establish cooperation with industry. From there, we can supply workers with vocational competencies that match industry needs,” he said. He also hopes that vocational training will not only enhance participants’ competencies but also expand employment opportunities and support the need for skilled workers in various industrial sectors.