Minister Urges Youth to Drive Innovation as Indonesia Eyes Top Four Global Economy

The World in 2050 Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) predicts Indonesia will become the world’s fourth-largest economy, behind only China, India, and the United States. This forecast aligns with the government’s vision for a ‘Golden Indonesia 2045’, aiming for a developed, just, and prosperous nation. However, a significant challenge remains: the quality of human resources, particularly the spirit, perspective, and ability to innovate. Manpower Minister Prof Yassierli underscored the importance of this innovative spirit and competence, especially among the younger generation. He acknowledged that Indonesia often ranks low in global innovation indices, citing the Global Innovation Index 2025 where the country placed 55th, behind neighbours like Malaysia and Vietnam. Despite this, Yassierli remains optimistic that Indonesia can become an innovation nation by 2045, driven by young people equipped with innovative competencies. He emphasised that innovation is not just about new products but about generating new value, whether in goods, services, or models. Innovation requires knowledge, technology, and creativity, but most importantly, it starts with empathy to solve problems. He cited the development of ride-hailing applications as an example of innovation born from empathy for people struggling to find transport and drivers waiting for customers. Yassierli also stressed the principle of continuous development, where innovators connect more dots and add unique features to meet evolving needs. He urged young people to move beyond being mere users to becoming developers, orchestrators, and leaders. He called for an ‘innovation mindset’, which involves thinking with different materials, technologies, and processes. The minister also encouraged young people to avoid a ‘fixed mindset’ and instead cultivate a ‘growth mindset’, where they embrace challenges, persist through setbacks, and see effort as a path to mastery. He advised them to seek mentors and coaches as role models and to draw inspiration from the biographies of great innovators. Yassierli noted that currently, only 14 per cent of the 155 million-strong workforce has the opportunity to pursue higher education.