Training program for jobless youths

JAKARTA (JP): The government, anxious over the growing rate of unemployment, particularly among university graduates, is introducing an entrepreneurial training program for educated youths without employment.

Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief said in a seminar yesterday that the new program is aimed at training jobless high school and college graduates to become professional entrepreneurs.

"Young businessmen will hopefully be able to build small and medium-scale companies employing as many workers as possible," he said addressing a seminar on entrepreneurship organized by the National Committee for Indonesian Youths (KNPI).

The minister said the government would introduce the entrepreneurship program to high schools and universities and wait for students feedback.

In addition to recent graduates, the government is also encouraging those who have long been unemployed to join the training program. However, only those who are truly talented will be admitted, he said.

"Admission of participants will be very selective," he added.

The ministry, in cooperation with several state universities and businessmen, has designed a several curriculums: one for this program, one for vocational training centers and another for industrial apprenticeships.

According to Latief, the government will provide financial assistance to successful participants for starting up their businesses.

"The money comes from the state budget, profits from state- owned companies and private large-scale enterprises," he said.

The program has been tried out in Bali where several alumni have set up companies that are now growing and employing many people, he said.

Latief warned that worsening unemployment could be a time bomb and that it should be diffused properly before erupting into serious social problem.

He calculated that the number of university graduates increases by an average of 113,000 each year over the last ten years but that only 30 to 40 percent of them had been employed.

Common

It is now common in Jakarta to find taxi drivers who have university diploma and house servants who possess high school diplomas. With the job market getting tighter all the time, these educated youths are turning to jobs that in the past had gone to those with lesser educational background.

Latief said during the current sixth Five Year Plan Repelita VI, the number of people in the work force would increase by 12.7 million from 87 million at the present. With economic growth estimated at 6.2 percent a year, the number of job opportunities created in the same period is estimated to reach only 11.9 million.

Latief, also former chairman of KNPI, called on youths to play a role as agents of change in nation building. "History has proven that young people have played a pivotal role in building our nation," he said.

He said many youths nowadays wanted to be rich without working hard.

"Do not hesitate to ask me how it is that I have become rich," he said referring to the years of hard work he has put in over the years.

Latief is known as one of Indonesia's most successful businessmen. He founded the Sarinah Jaya business empire which was built based on the strength of its retailing industry. His success landed him the cabinet post. (rms)