Riau Islands Manpower Agency Banks on Job Training Centres to Reduce Unemployment
Tanjungpinang — The Riau Islands Province Manpower and Transmigration Agency (Disnakertrans Kepri) is relying on Job Training Centres (BLK) to bring down the region's open unemployment rate (TPT), which remains comparatively high.
Disnakertrans Kepri head Diky Wijaya said that as of November 2025, the open unemployment rate stood at 6.35 per cent, equivalent to approximately 65,000 people. Batam remains the largest contributor to unemployment owing to the high number of jobseekers arriving from outside the region.
"The BLK is one of the government's primary strategies for reducing unemployment by upgrading workers' skills to match market demand," Diky said in Tanjungpinang on Friday.
Diky noted that Disnakertrans Kepri operates three BLK facilities, located in Tanjungpinang, Batam and Karimun Regency.
According to him, the Tanjungpinang BLK is the most effective, as it has five training classrooms, practical workshops and dormitory facilities.
"In a year, we can train 300 participants in programmes ranging from welding and barista skills to tailoring," he said.
Diky explained that the majority of BLK trainees are senior secondary and vocational school graduates who do not continue to higher education. They are equipped with specialist skills such as welding, reflecting the high demand from the industrial zones in the Riau Islands, particularly Batam.
"Ninety-nine per cent of BLK graduates are absorbed by the labour market, because the government's training programmes are specifically tailored to the employment needs of the Riau Islands," Diky said.
Meanwhile, Riau Islands BPS (Statistics Agency) head Toto Haryanto said the open unemployment rate eased to 6.35 per cent in November 2025, a marginal decline of 0.10 percentage points from August 2025. The improvement in labour absorption occurred amid a still-dynamic labour market environment.
"A TPT of 6.35 per cent means that for every 100 people in the labour force, approximately six to seven are still unemployed," Toto said.
The unemployment cohort in the Riau Islands is dominated by residents aged 15 and above who are not working but are actively seeking employment, preparing to start a business, or about to commence work.
Toto added that urban areas recorded an improvement, with unemployment declining by 0.15 percentage points to 6.55 per cent. Conversely, rural areas experienced a rise in unemployment of 0.33 percentage points to 3.89 per cent.
Disnakertrans Kepri head Diky Wijaya said that as of November 2025, the open unemployment rate stood at 6.35 per cent, equivalent to approximately 65,000 people. Batam remains the largest contributor to unemployment owing to the high number of jobseekers arriving from outside the region.
"The BLK is one of the government's primary strategies for reducing unemployment by upgrading workers' skills to match market demand," Diky said in Tanjungpinang on Friday.
Diky noted that Disnakertrans Kepri operates three BLK facilities, located in Tanjungpinang, Batam and Karimun Regency.
According to him, the Tanjungpinang BLK is the most effective, as it has five training classrooms, practical workshops and dormitory facilities.
"In a year, we can train 300 participants in programmes ranging from welding and barista skills to tailoring," he said.
Diky explained that the majority of BLK trainees are senior secondary and vocational school graduates who do not continue to higher education. They are equipped with specialist skills such as welding, reflecting the high demand from the industrial zones in the Riau Islands, particularly Batam.
"Ninety-nine per cent of BLK graduates are absorbed by the labour market, because the government's training programmes are specifically tailored to the employment needs of the Riau Islands," Diky said.
Meanwhile, Riau Islands BPS (Statistics Agency) head Toto Haryanto said the open unemployment rate eased to 6.35 per cent in November 2025, a marginal decline of 0.10 percentage points from August 2025. The improvement in labour absorption occurred amid a still-dynamic labour market environment.
"A TPT of 6.35 per cent means that for every 100 people in the labour force, approximately six to seven are still unemployed," Toto said.
The unemployment cohort in the Riau Islands is dominated by residents aged 15 and above who are not working but are actively seeking employment, preparing to start a business, or about to commence work.
Toto added that urban areas recorded an improvement, with unemployment declining by 0.15 percentage points to 6.55 per cent. Conversely, rural areas experienced a rise in unemployment of 0.33 percentage points to 3.89 per cent.