COVID-19: Promoting skills development
Partnership between Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Industry: Key to workplace readiness
Indonesian government, businesses and technical vocational education and training providers are facing the challenge of high levels of youth unemployment and a shortage of job seekers with critical skills, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ILO with its social partners discuss some ways to tackle this problem.

We need to start preparing these skillful workers with policy interventions that encourage and support the collaboration between the technical vocational educations & training and the industry."
Tauvik Muhamad, the ILO’s Project Manager for Industry Skills for Inclusive Growth Phase-2 (InSIGHT-2)
Tauvik Muhamad, the ILO’s Project Manager for Industry Skills for Inclusive Growth Phase-2, reminded the participants about the demographic bonus faced by Indonesia in the next five to 10 years. The country should be ready to absorb the increase of productive, young workers into the labour market and to ensure their readiness with relevant skills and competencies.
“The increase of IT-based employment during today’s digital and new normal era should be complemented with skillful workers. Thus, we need to start preparing these skillful workers with policy interventions that encourage and support the collaboration between the technical vocational educations and training and the industry,” said Tauvik.
The importance of skills development
We have approached the private sector, particularly during this pandemic era, to continue providing the transition programmes, such as the apprenticeship programme."
Siti Kustiati, Director of Apprenticeship of the Ministry of Manpower
“We have approached the private sector, particularly during this pandemic era, to continue providing the transition programmes, such as the apprenticeship programme. We collaborate with the Jakarta Japan Club, USAID and HRD Association to encourage their company members to be part of the skills development programme,” said Siti Kustiati, Director of Apprenticeship of the Ministry of Manpower.
Meanwhile Wartanto, Director of Course and Training of the Ministry of Education and Culture, stated that the Ministry of Education is in the process of formulating new decree on apprenticeship programme. This new decree, for example, will oblige higher vocational education institutions to conduct an apprenticeship programme for a minimum of one semester (six months).
However, in terms of the quality of competency standard, this is managed and supervised by the Ministry of Education."
Wartanto, Director of Course and Training of the Ministry of Education and Culture
“However, in terms of the quality of competency standard, this is managed and supervised by the Ministry of Education,” he added.
A greater engagement of industry
Supporting the greater engagement of industry in skills development programme, Dea Prasetyawati, Member of Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) for Human Resources, supported the active collaboration between the vocational education and the industry. Based on her experience as a practitioner HR, graduates of vocational education have lack of skills needed when entering the hotel industry. Most of them have lack of knowledge about the development of hotel industry and should be re-trained.
We also promote experiential learning through organic lab that allows students to improve their working skills by self-experiencing the real tasks and obligations of the world of work. Through this active collaboration, schools will be updated with new developments in the industry."
Dea Prasetyawati, Member of Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) for Human Resources
“We also promote experiential learning through organic lab that allows students to improve their working skills by self-experiencing the real tasks and obligations of the world of work. Through this active collaboration, schools will be updated with new developments in the industry,” she said.
The discussion was conducted by the ILO through its Industry Skills for Inclusive Growth (In-Sight). Funded by the Government of Japan, the second phase of In-Sight Project aims to promote mechanisms and practical approaches that enable industries and workplaces to become drivers of sustainable and inclusive growth in the Asian region.