Vocational students aim high in international event

Innocentius Christianto, Contributor/Helsinki

It was Veni, Vidi, Vici (I come, I see, I conquer) for Julius Caesar, but it was Veni Vidi Didici (I come, I see, I learn), for Indonesian students at the 38th International WorldSkills Competition in Helsinki recently.

During the event, dubbed the Skill Olympiad, young people under 23 years of age from all over the world demonstrated their vocational skills.

This year's competition in the Finnish capital featured 39 vocations in the fields of engineering, industry and services. Around 700 youths from 39 countries participated in the biennial event, including five Indonesians.

Making its debut, Indonesia did not expect to win medals, nor to finish among the top 10.

"We are not here with a target of winning medals but to introduce ourselves as a member of the WorldSkills Organization," said Susilowati of the Directorate of Technical and Vocational Education at the Ministry of National Education.

The Indonesian team comprised Hafid Setyo and Syahadatan Surya who competed in mechatronics, Erwan Rusdiana who participated in plumbing, Andi Supardi in bricklaying and Sikae in joinery.

European countries dominated the competition, while the Asian challenge was spearheaded by Japan, South Korea and China.

Indonesia's best performance was in joinery, finishing 15th.

Surya and Hafid said they were happy to measure their competence in mechatronics, a combination of various disciplines including computer science, control engineering, electrical engineering, ergonomics and mechanical engineering.

"I know we did not set a certain target, but, still, I am disappointed because I failed to win a medal," Surya said.

Hafid said that in terms of vocational skills, Indonesia could match other countries.

"We just need better preparation to make ourselves familiar with the variety of new tools and equipment which are hard to find in Indonesia," he said.

Hafid and Surya are in their second semester at the Vocational Education Development Center in a public training and teaching institute in Malang, East Java.

Andi, of Makassar, South Sulawesi, who is in his second semester of civil engineering at the Technical Education and Development Center (TEDC) in Bandung, West Java, blamed his lack of discipline for his failure to win.

"What I learned here from the other participants was discipline," said Andi, who also represented Indonesia in the ASEAN Skills Competition (ASC) in Hanoi last year.

Participants in the joinery category and people who watched the competition were amazed upon learning that Sikae was the only contender who used a manual saw.

"But I made mistake when sketching the design. I should have been more relaxed," he said. Sikae of Sampit, Central Kalimantan won a bronze in the ASC last year.

Susi said Indonesia would fight for a place among the top 10 in the next competition in Shizuoka, Japan, and the big three in the 2009 competition in Calgary, Canada.

"We will also send more participants in other categories. We will scout for talented youngsters from various competitions at home," she said.

The education ministry has organized a national skill competition for vocational school students for the last 12 years. The upcoming annual event will be held on Bali island next week.

Each member of the WorldSkills Organization pays an annual fee which varies according to its population. Indonesia, which joined the organization last year, is charged 20,000 euro.

Indonesian Ambassador to Finland Iris Indra Murti said the national team did not return home empty-handed.

"The event will raise domestic awareness that vocational study is always good and fits the available vacancies," he said.

With around 800,000 students from 5,070 public and private vocational schools graduating per year, some 50 percent have jobs waiting for them in related industries, government data revealed.

Data released by the Central Statistics Agency in 2003 showed the number of vocational school graduates working as professional workers (667,852) outnumbered those of regular high school graduates (342,387).