Unemployment worries Try

Unemployment worries Try

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Try Sutrisno raised concern
yesterday over a minister's report that 130,000 university
graduates are jobless.

Try asked Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief to find a prompt
solution to the problem.

Latief told journalists after meeting with the Vice President
that most of the unemployed college graduates majored in social
and cultural sciences.

"Only 50 to 60 percent of university graduates majoring in
social and cultural sciences can be absorbed by the formal
sector," Latief said here yesterday.

The minister said the Ministry of Education has cooperated
with 12 universities and started a program to teach university
graduates how to run a business.

"The program is expected to produce strong small and medium-
scale entrepreneurs, who are able to create jobs for others,"
Latief said.

Try also asked Latief to coordinate with the Ministry of
Industry and Trade, and the Ministry of Agriculture to support
the training program, Latief said.

According to the minister, the government is trying to improve
vocational training centers across the country.

Try Sutrisno also met with the new executives of the Employees
Cooperative (Inkopkar) who were elected in a recent congress in
East Java.

The new executives are chairman Agus Sudono, deputy Sulistijo,
deputy Saleh Syeban, secretary Sjam Alamsjah, treasurer Jackie
Syaffei, chief of the supervisory body Ruba'is Hartono and
housing division chief Iskandar. (pan)