The program was implemented through investment cooperation with Islamic boarding schools in the industrial zone in the sub-district of Manyar that is expected to absorb around 60 thousand workers.
In his speech, President Widodo remarked that the government will continue to boost investment to create jobs as competition between countries is growing stiffer.
He emphasized that without these steps, Indonesia will face an unemployment problem similar to other countries.
"Hence, I always attend functions related to investment. It is all because competition is getting stiffer," he affirmed.
President Widodo said this was also the reason behind the government continuing to roll out economic deregulation packages in the past few weeks. He said competition between countries was increasing as all are competing for investment.
"When more money circulates in a country, it will become more prosperous, and this is the law of macro-economy," he remarked.
He pointed out that without substantial circulation of money in a country, one cannot expect its economy to flourish.
Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Franky Sibarani stated that the JIIPE had allocated a plot of land for setting up a vocational training center.
He later noted that the center (BLK), with the support of the local Qomarudin Islamic boarding school, will train students from Islamic boarding schools to become skilled workers.
The JIIPE covers an area of 2,933 hectares and is located in Gresik, East Java. Currently, the construction process has already absorbed around 1.5 thousand workers, of which 90 percent come from the communities residing around it, such as the sub-districts of Bungah and Manyar.
Until now, five companies have planned to build industrial complexes in JIIPE, including a smelter, petrochemical and salt processing plants, and the construction is already underway, absorbing around five thousand workers.
The industrial zone is expected to absorb around 60 thousand workers.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
