Kadin head Arsyad Rasyid said that the initiative by the regional chamber can be emulated by its counterparts in other regions.
"What we are doing is part of the Kadin Impact Award as our token of appreciation for the chambers on the programs, which have been conducted, so others would be aware of them and follow suit," Rasyid added.
The initiative to develop small enterprises has cemented the chamber’s position as a supporter of industries, big and small alike, he said.
"It is even in our (duty) to develop small and medium enterprises," he added.
According to a national meeting of Kadin members in December 2022, national and regional economic development as well as micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will be the focus of the chambers’ work in 2023.
They will also focus on resolving the disparity between skills and industry requirements, as well as promoting collaboration among enterprises and industries in order to establish an adaptive vocational program, while supporting productive business practices.
The chamber hosted the awards event to motivate and commend regional chambers' efforts toward developing the two aspects at the provincial and municipal levels.
Rasyid said that the East Java Kadin’s programs fit with with the chamber’s goal of improving the entrepreneurship and competence of MSMEs.
East Java has the third most MSMEs nationally at around 1.2 million, and 70 percent of its total population is of productive age, hence, the initiative is expected to improve the region's economy, he added.
The measure is a collective effort to develop the nation through MSMEs since they are essentially the backbone of the national economy, he highlighted.
"With improvement in MSMEs' products competitiveness, it is expected that the regional and national economy would improve, so Indonesia will advance even further. It is expected that MSME empowerment can assist MSME players not only on the national scale, but also on the global scale," Rasyid said.
He also commended East Java Kadin for hosting the In-Company Trainer Program, a collaboration between Kadin Institute and IHK Trier Germany.
"As In-Company Trainer, the participants have an important role in improving a company's human resource capacity," he said.
After obtaining certification through the program, participants can become consultants and assist in the development of vocational programs for other chambers in East Java.
Rasyid said he believes that the program from the regional chamber could help address the unemployment issue, particularly among vocational school graduates.
East Java Kadin head Adik Dwi Putranto said that at the awards event, his administration showcased many programs hosted by Kadin Institute and exhibited products made by MSMEs trained by it.
“Today, we see nine MSMEs, representing the MSMEs that have been coached and supported by East Java Trade and Industry Chamber, up until they can export tens of thousands of their products overseas," he informed.
Purwanto said that the hard work and support from the chamber motivated the MSMEs to pursue their business.
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Translator: Willi Irawan, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
