Minister Yassierli Targets Skills Mismatch Between Graduates and Industry

The Indonesian Ministry of Manpower has successfully implemented the 2025 National Internship Programme, which was attended by approximately 100,000 participants, and will continue in 2026 with a quota of 150,000 participants. Manpower Minister Yassierli stated that this National Internship programme is part of President Prabowo’s government economic stimulus package, designed to stimulate the economy while equipping university graduates to compete in the job market. Through this internship hub programme, the Ministry observes that the six-month internship addresses challenges related to the productivity and competitiveness of the Indonesian workforce, with 60 per cent of participants receiving job offers at their internship locations. In this national internship programme, the Ministry supports educational institutions in promoting skills and certification for prospective workers to tackle the challenge of skills mismatch with the demands of the working world. On the other hand, the Ministry still sees challenges related to employment pressures due to global economic turmoil; therefore, it continues to encourage the competence of prospective workers to meet the needs of the business sector. The Ministry is also collaborating with universities to build career centres to provide students with an overview of the working world. Additionally, the Ministry highlighted that digital platform workers operating in the informal sector face challenges regarding social security arrangements. Consequently, the government is providing protection through the enrolment of digital sector workers in work accident insurance and death benefit schemes, as well as encouraging skills upgrading and the formulation of wage scale structures and housing and transport services.