Vacation apprenticeship programs for students
Vacation apprenticeship programs for students
JAKARTA (JP): A non-governmental organization is offering
vacation apprenticeship programs to secondary school students.
The second annual program aims to give students from low and
middle-income groups four days work experience at social
organizations.
They would be paid Rp 5,000 (US$ 2.04) a day, Indonesian Child
Welfare Foundation director Widya Samsudin said yesterday.
Widya said that her foundation could place 300 students in
this year's program.
"Unlike their more affluent counterparts who can afford trips
abroad or pursue leisure activities with their friends and
families, the apprenticeship programs exposes these youths to
social welfare issues while they use their time productively,"
she said at the foundation's seminar on youth AIDS.
The foundation runs seminars for secondary school students on
HIV/AIDS, talent development, youth skills and problems and other
issues.
She said that her foundation was receiving applications for
the program through the Ministry of Education and Culture.
The foundation runs other youth programs in cooperation with
other non-governmental organizations and government agencies,
including programs on drug abuse information, entrepreneurship,
and the effects of globalization and industrialization.
These programs were unavailable at schools and some included
visits to factories and offices, Widya said.
She said that apprenticeships helped develop youths'
initiative and widen their horizons.
"They do not come from top schools and wealthy families, but
that should not stop them from developing their potential," she
said.
Felicia, 16, a second-year student at Taman Siswa senior high
school, who was at the seminar, said: "Apart from getting more
information about AIDS, I would like to work at the foundation
for more experience."
A third-year student from the same school, Dani Gunardi, 17,
said that he wanted to use his time productively and earn money
through the vacation apprenticeship program.
"It's better than hanging around the house with nothing to
do," Dani said.
The youths discussed safe dating and development of talent and
interests at the seminar, held in cooperation with the Kayu Manis
radio station.
They also had discussed science and technology, social
science, art, sport and emotional intelligence to develop an
overall social awareness, foundation counselor Marike said. (01)