P2MI Minister Mukhtarudin said the group had completed a month-long training program in Bali focused on spa therapy and wellness services before their deployment.
The trainees were prepared for work in the international spa industry, with skills ranging from massage and relaxation techniques to physical and mental wellness treatment.
Their training, fully funded by the government, covered advanced massage methods and aromatherapy blending at the Denpasar Industrial Training Center (BDI).
Deputy P2MI Minister Christina Aryani said the program would serve as a pilot project for similar training initiatives in other regions across Indonesia.
She said the month-long effort involved cooperation with the Ministry of Industry through BDI Denpasar, the Ministry of Tourism through the Bali Tourism Polytechnic, the Ministry of Manpower, and certified job-training institutes.
Aryani added that the model could be replicated by BP3MI regional branches to widen opportunities for Indonesians seeking skilled overseas employment.
BP3MI Bali head Anak Agung Gde Indra Hardiawan said the 40 participants were divided into two groups of 20—one for advanced therapy work and another for first-time spa service contracts.
He said most trainees were women and represented several provinces including Bali, East Java, Central Java, East Nusa Tenggara, and South Sulawesi.
Eight advanced-therapy participants have received job offers from hotels in the Maldives beginning December, while the remainder will be placed in stages starting March 2026, he said.
Beyond the Maldives, the government is also exploring potential placements in Turkey for skilled spa-therapy workers through licensed recruitment agencies.
Felicia Patricia, a trainee from South Sulawesi, said she received instruction in Balinese massage, body scrubs, facial treatments, and traditional boreh spice-based skincare.
She said she planned to take a two-year employment contract in the Maldives.
The ministry advised prospective overseas workers to consult its official information portal at siskop2mi.bp2mi.go.id to ensure safe and legal placement procedures.
Translator: Dewa Ketut Sudiarta Wiguna, Katriana
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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