Government Encourages Human Resource Development Through Link And Match Program

JAKARTA - Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Susiwijono Moegiarso, as well as Plt. Secretary General of the National Council for Special Economic Zones (KEK) said that in the midst of increasingly competing world economic turmoil, Indonesia was required to consistently increase economic growth rates in order to improve people's welfare.

Along with this, According to him, Indonesia also hopes to become a developed country through the potential for a demographic bonus by improving the quality of competitive human resources (HR).

"This shows concrete steps in the industrial world in synergy with education, very good cooperation. From the economic context, until 2045 Indonesia relies on the manufacturing industry to increase growth. Here, it can be seen that KEK Kendal is committed to developing the quality of human resources with the aim of increasing competitiveness," said Susiwijono in his statement, quoted Thursday, February 22.

Susiwijono said that higher education institutions certainly occupy a very central position. Universities have a comprehensive learning ecosystem, mastery of science and technology, and potential for innovation development.

However, outside educational institutions, there are industries that experience firsthand the practices that occur in the field.

In addition, there is also an entrepreneurial and research and development ecosystem which is a good source of learning for the younger generation, especially in vocational education.

Susiwijono gave an example, such as the Kendal SEZ as one of the largest industrial SEZs in Indonesia, until December 2023, has succeeded in attracting many foreign investments with 99 business actors from 10 countries and total investments of up to IDR 43.8 trillion, and absorbing 44,349 workers.

"The existence of the Kendal SEZ encourages the transformation of increasing labor skills with various job training briefings that adjust industrial needs in the Kendal SEZ," he said.

Susiwijono said as many as 2,000 workers with education levels that have not graduated from elementary school, graduated from elementary school, and graduated from junior high school in Kendal in 2022-2023. Currently, the projected absorption of labor with the education level of vocational schools in Kendal SEZs is 44,499 people from 99 business actors.

Of the 33 business entities and business actors that have been operating have succeeded in absorbing 11,962 workers, of which 8,835 come from Kendal Regency, with the projection of absorption from link & match activities of 7,823 workers.

KEK Kendal is an industrial area that is growing rapidly and is one of the global investment destinations in Indonesia. The need for skilled and competent human resources will increase to manage this area.

In order to meet these needs, several activities were carried out, including the MoU between the Governor of Central Java and the President Director of PT Kawasan Industri Kendal (KIK) as the Development Business Entity and the Management Business Entity (BUPP) of the Kendal SEZ, to the Cooperation Agreement (PKS) between the Central Java Provincial Education Office and 14 Business Actors in the Kendal SEZ. In addition to carrying out joint recruitment, scholarships were also handed over.

Meanwhile, Kendal District Secretary General Administration Assistant Agus Dwi Lestari said the activity was a follow-up to the Link and Match Program which aims to optimize employment in Kendal, increase the world's concern for the quality of education through scholarship contributions, and increase cooperation in education in Kendal Regency.

Agus revealed that as a commitment to reduce the unemployment rate, the Kendal Regency Government collaborated with stakeholders related to running a work-ready relation, recruitment and training program in 2024.

Second, prepare skilled, competent, and competitive human resources by competency-based training. Third, by collaborating and collaborating between the Kendal Regency Government, the Ministry of Industry, Kendal SEZ, and the District/village level Government.