"The Ministry of Manpower has also prepared programs to help workers develop skills and competencies," she said at a press conference after a Labor Day commemoration event in Jakarta on Wednesday.
She added that one of the programs has involved the establishment of trade union-based job training centers (BLKs), which started in 2021 as part of efforts to increase the capacity of Indonesian workers.
The ministry also operates its own BLKs and vocational training centers that cater to workers who wish to improve their skills and competency.
Various skill improvement programs are being provided by the government, not only for the skilling of the new workforce but also for upskilling and reskilling existing workers.
However, those facilities do not yet cover all workers in the country, she said. Collaboration with stakeholders in the employment sector is considered crucial to increasing their coverage.
This is also in keeping with the theme "May Day 2024: Work Together to Realize Competent Workers" raised by the Manpower Ministry for this year's Labor Day.
"We encourage companies in Indonesia to work together to face this extraordinary employment dynamic and to collaborate with trade unions, companies, industries, and the government to improve skills and competencies," she said.
It is also deemed necessary for worker competency improvement to be supported by certification as a form of recognition and to help workers compete at the global level.
She affirmed that her ministry is continuing to increase the number of workers holding competency certificates.
As of December 2023, there were nearly seven million certified workers in Indonesia, according to the Ministry of Manpower.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji
Editor: Anton Santoso
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