Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro, on Monday highlighted that the unemployment rate among vocational school graduates experienced a decline in the 2023–2024 period.
"The data from 2023–2024 shows that the open unemployment rate among vocational graduates has decreased significantly compared to other levels of education," he informed at the Vocational Expo in Jakarta.
He made the observation based on data released by Statistics Indonesia (BPS), which shows that the open unemployment rate among vocational high school graduates in the country declined by 0.3 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year.
He noted that currently, vocational education is still needed by the market despite global economic uncertainties.
"Higher vocational education has a strategic role in preparing competent, adaptive, and innovative humans, in accordance with the needs of society and global dynamics," he said.
According to the minister, vocational education has uniqueness and advantages, one of which is in terms of graduates gaining practical skills and ability to meet job market needs.
On that occasion, he further said that for revitalizing vocational education, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology is pushing project-based learning.
The program encourages lecturers and students to develop innovation that is in line with the needs of the market.
"It includes project-based learning, where learning focuses on developing products that are oriented toward market needs," he explained.
Minister Brodjonegoro said that the effort to revitalize vocational education has been outlined in Presidential Regulation Number 68 of 2022 on the Revitalization of Vocational Education.
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Translator: Hana Dewi, Raka Adji
Editor: Arie Novarina
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