"In my opinion, improving human resources is needed and must be encouraged by all stakeholders, including the private sector. The presidential regulation is one of the government's efforts in collaboration to maximize the demographic bonus," Fauziyah stated at the virtual event titled "2023 Indonesian Economic Outlook to Maintain Economic Resilience through Structural Transformation" in Jakarta, Wednesday.
In order to achieve an Advanced Indonesia in 2045, the country should be able to utilize the demographic bonus. Hence, through the presidential decree, the government aims to provide a competent workforce as stated in workforce planning and refers to the Labor Market Information System, Fauziyah remarked.
The minister noted that the basic principles of vocational education and vocational training promoted by the government were oriented toward the needs of the business world, the industrial world, and entrepreneurship.
According to Fauziyah, one of the causes of the high open unemployment rate was a mismatch between the skills of the workforce and the demand of industries.
The minister pointed out that the workforce in Indonesia constituted workers with junior high school educational backgrounds and below. Meanwhile, several prospective workers with high school/vocational school, diplomas, and undergraduate educational backgrounds were unemployed.
"The purpose of this revitalization is to help vocational education and training to respond to the needs of the business world and the industrial world," she remarked.
Fauziyah noted that the ministry had also strengthened labor market services since Indonesia so far did not have an adequate labor market information service center to respond to the needs of employers and match them with job seekers.
However, since the end of 2021, the Ministry of Manpower has had a job market to meet employers and prospective workforce. Apart from expanding employment opportunities, the ministry also pushed for entrepreneurship facilitation as an effort to bring more investment funds to absorb more labor.
Furthermore, Fauziyah emphasized that the implementation of Presidential Decree Number 68 of 2022 was a shared responsibility between the central government, regional governments, the business world, the industrial world, the world of work, and the society. The revitalization of vocational education and training must also be competency-based.
"We will also introduce lifelong learning because the industrial revolution 4.0 requires upskilling and reskilling, which is why lifelong learning is needed. It must also be carried out inclusively," she stated.
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Translator: Kuntum Khaira R, Resinta S
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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