Top High School Graduates Don't Guarantee Jobs: Bekasi Youth Pivots to Welding Training

Graduating from a top high school does not always guarantee ease in finding employment. Intense competition and demands for work experience force many new graduates to seek alternative paths to enhance their skills, including through vocational training. This situation was experienced by Farras Armadana (21), a social sciences graduate from SMA Negeri 1 Kota Bekasi, who has been struggling to enter the workforce since graduating in 2023. He has submitted numerous applications to various companies in the Jabodetabek area but has yet to see results. According to Farras, one of the biggest challenges for new graduates is the requirements set by companies, such as age limits and work experience. This condition makes it difficult for fresh graduates to enter the job market. “As we know, in Indonesia, the difficulty starts with age, then you must have at least one or two years of work experience. So fresh graduates also struggle, especially when they sometimes ask for those who already have experience,” he explained. He added that companies tend to seek candidates who are ready to work and possess various skills. “Companies also want those who are quick. They choose candidates who can do everything, in other words, those who have skills,” he said. Realising the importance of skills in the job market, Farras then joined a vocational training programme organised by the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia at the BBPVP in Kota Bekasi. He chose the welding field because he sees promising job opportunities in the engineering sector. “In my opinion, this job cannot be replaced by AI. And it’s also quite cool to pursue,” he stated. He explained that the training lasts 42 days, equivalent to 420 hours of lessons, with about 10 hours of instruction each day. Farras is optimistic that the skills acquired will accelerate his chances of getting a job. “Usually, the gap from completing the training to finally getting a job is around one month,” he revealed. The desire for financial independence is Farras’s main motivation. He does not want to continue depending on his parents and is determined to build his own future.