It is necessary to continue to optimize entrepreneurial programs at universities in the hopes of enabling graduates to create new job opportunities.
Pontianak (ANTARA) - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno has urged college students to help create jobs by running digitized micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that operate in the digital market.

"According to BPS (Statistics Indonesia), 5.54 percent of Indonesia's population, or 7.99 million people, are still unemployed. We can resolve this issue by establishing MSMEs, as 97 percent of job vacancies come from MSMEs," he pointed out in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on Saturday.

The minister made the statement while speaking at a public lecture at Panca Bakti University (UPB).

Uno said that currently, Indonesia is home to 64.2 million MSMEs, adding that the businesses contribute as much as 61.9 percent to the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

"It is necessary to continue to optimize entrepreneurial programs at universities in the hopes of enabling graduates to create new job opportunities," he said.

He also highlighted that Indonesia's creative economy sector has emerged as the world's third-best in terms of contribution to the GDP, after the United States and South Korea.

Bearing that in mind, he expressed the hope that UPB students would make the most of the positive trend and play an active role in advancing digitized MSMEs in Indonesia.

"I want UPB students to take part in creating digitized businesses, including those that belong to the MSME category," he added.

Furthermore, the minister emphasized the importance of the participation of Indonesian youngsters in the world of business, saying that an increase in the number of youths involved in business will help Indonesia improve its productivity and economic performance.

"I would love to witness more college graduates start thinking about how to create job opportunities rather than merely searching for them as starting a business can help suppress the unemployment rate," he added.

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Translator: Rendra O, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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