Ministry of Manpower: National Vocational Training Bridges Industry-Skills Gap

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) believes that the National Vocational Training Programme will bridge the gap between industry needs and the availability of workers or human resources (HR). “This programme is expected to reduce unemployment, increase productivity, and strengthen the competitiveness of Indonesia’s workforce,” said the Director General of Vocational Training and Productivity Development (Binalavotas) of Kemnaker, Darmawansyah, in a statement received in Jakarta on Thursday. Furthermore, he stated that to ensure transparent, inclusive, and non-discriminatory implementation, the registration and selection process is conducted centrally through the Kemnaker Skillhub platform. “Thus, the process is more transparent and easier to monitor,” Darmawansyah added. With an increasingly integrated approach oriented towards industry needs, he continued, the 2026 National Vocational Training Programme is expected to have a real impact in improving workforce quality while expanding employment opportunities in Indonesia. Meanwhile, Kemnaker records that more than 10,000 participants from high school and vocational high school graduates and equivalents have officially started the first phase of the 2026 National Vocational Training Programme. Of that number, 10,405 participants were declared successful, consisting of 5,833 through the selection pathway and 4,572 through affirmative cooperation pathways with industry partners and communities. The participants are spread across 21 training centres (BLK), 13 training units under the Directorate General of Vocational Training and Productivity Development, and 46 BLK UPTD. Furthermore, Darmawansyah said that vocational training is one of the government’s priority programmes in improving human resource quality while accelerating workforce absorption. For participants, Kemnaker provides several supporting facilities. They receive free training, lunch during training, transport assistance, work accident insurance and death benefits, training certificates, competency certificates from the National Professional Certification Agency (BNSP), and dormitory facilities for certain training.