West Sumatra and Manpower Ministry Select Participants for Japan Internship Programme

The Provincial Government of West Sumatra, together with the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower and the International Manpower Development Organization Japan (IM Japan), has launched the selection process for participants in an internship programme to Japan for the 2026 period. Acting Regional Secretary of West Sumatra, Adib Alfikri, explained in Padang on Tuesday that the selection phase will take place over four days, from 20 to 24 July. “We hope that the young people of West Sumatra participating in this selection can demonstrate their best potential,” he said. He noted that a total of 155 participants are undergoing the selection process, which includes administrative screening, a basic mathematics test, a physical fitness examination, an endurance test, and an interview. Adib stated that the long-term benefits brought back to the “Ranah Minangkabau” will not be solely financial capital. These include the acquisition of technical competencies (hard skills) meeting international industry standards, character maturity, mental resilience, and excellent time management (soft skills). Participants will also receive an official competency certificate from IM Japan and the Japanese government, as well as independent business capital after the internship. “When they return to West Sumatra, the participants will no longer be job seekers but will have transformed into job creators,” he hoped. He said the programme represents the government’s commitment to supporting the improvement of human resources quality, creating a globally competitive workforce.