Labour Mismatch, the Transformation of Education and Vocational Training

FES Indonesia together with the Coordinating Ministry of Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) and Perkempulan Prakarsa organized a two days seminar on: Labour Mismatch, the Transformation of Education and Vocational Training in Jakarta, 14 - 15 December 2016.

In his keynote-presentation the Indonesian Minister of Manpower Hanif Dhakiri said labour mismatch and vocational training might not be the sexiest issues, but they can decide on the future of Indonesia.

Problems like poverty and social disparity all derive from skills mismatch and skills shortcomings, Minister Dhakiri emphasized.

The government of Indonesia identified against this background labor policies in relation to education and vocational training as a key solution. These policies assure compliance of Human Resources with the demands of the labour market  in terms of employment and competence standards and consist of four main pillars:

• Improved information policy concerning demands of required vocational skills
• Better access to vocational training through broader availability and development of incentives for enrollment (e.g. scholarship programs)
• Allocating responsibilities to employers for corporate capacity building 
• Multi-stakeholder approach for the development of vocational training curriculum

The Indonesian Minister of Manpower furthermore explained that he recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministers of State-Owned Enterprises, of Industry, of Research, Technology and Higher Education as well as the Coordinating Ministers of  Economic Affairs and Human Development and Culture (PMK) on joint efforts to improve the vocational education system in Indonesia. Hanif Dhakiri stressed the need to improve formal education and vocational training at the same time as well as the access and quality of vocational training centers and their respective teachers. In this spirit the government of Indonesia will also establish a vocational training Committee. Last but not least the Minister pointed out that a better incentive system for companies is needed to invest more in the skills of their employees.

Dr. Rudy Salahudin, Vice-Minister of the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs, explained that the Indonesian government will put priority in this endeavor on the competiveness in the newly established ASEAN Economic community.  

Sugeng Bahagijo, Director of the International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID), highlighted in his presentation that the marginalized status of labour needs to be changed to make full use of the Indonesian workforce potential and the demographic bonus.

Victoria Fanggidae, Research Manager at Perkempulan Prakarsa stressed the need in her presentation on: on-demand transport workers in Indonesia to guarantee labour and social security standards for those employed in this sector.

All participant paid reference to the dual vocational training system in Germany.

Links of media coverage:

http://mediaindonesia.com/news/read/82685/menaker-sebut-4-kebijakan-untuk-perkuat-akses-dan-mutu-pelatihan-kerja-indonesia/2016-12-14#

http://www.beritasatu.com/industri-perdagangan/404514-keterlibatan-pengusaha-perkuat-mutu-pelatihan-kerja.html

http://www.soksinews.com//id-11249-read-pemerintah-dorong-pengusaha-perkuat-mutu-pelatihan-kerja

http://infopublik.id/read/182944/menaker-empat-kebijakan-perkuat-akses-dan-mutu-pelatihan-kerja-indonesia.h