IWIP and Weda Bay Nickel Open Opportunities for the Young Generation of North Maluku and Indonesia

JAKARTA - PT Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) together with Weda Bay Nickel (WBN) support human resources development (HRD) through a scholarship program for students from North Maluku and various regions in Indonesia. Starting from undergraduate level in the country to the opportunity to pursue a master's degree abroad, IWIP and WBN strive to expand access to education while producing superior young generations who are ready to contribute to national development.

Since its launch in 2021, the Weda Bay Scholarship Program has become one of the company's commitments in supporting the improvement of human resources quality through access to higher education for the North Maluku generation. This program targets students from Central Halmahera Regency and East Halmahera who are currently studying at various universities in Indonesia.

Until now, at least 92 students have received benefits from the Weda Bay Scholarship Program. External Relations Manager of PT Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP), Lukman Hakim, said education was a long-term investment that had a role in preparing young generations to face various challenges in the future.

"Human resource development is an important foundation for regional and national progress. Through various education programs that IWIP and WBN carry out, we want to provide a wider opportunity for the younger generation to obtain quality education, develop their potential, and prepare for a better future," said Lukman, in a statement, Monday, June 22.

One of the recipients of the Weda Bay Scholarship Program, Salsabilah Irwan, a student of the Agrotechnology Study Program at the Faculty of Agriculture, Khairun University, admitted that the educational assistance was very helpful in carrying out the lectures.

"This assistance greatly relieves the burden of parents and makes me more focused on attending lectures. I hope that more and more young generations in Central Halmahera and East Halmahera will dare to continue their education and pursue their dreams," he said.

In addition to supporting higher education at the undergraduate level, IWIP through the Eternal Tsingshan Group together with the Education Fund Management Institution (LPDP) also supports a master's education program at the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), China. The program provides opportunities for young Indonesians to gain international academic experience while expanding their knowledge in the fields of science, technology, and industry.

The Indonesian-Chinese education cooperation program has been running since 2024 and opens opportunities for 20 participants each year to study at USTB. In the first batch of 2024, as many as 20 students received the scholarship, while in the second batch, 16 students were selected to continue their education. Currently, the interview process is underway to recruit participants for the third batch.

One of the recipients of the program is Aditya Risvan Riansah, a student from Boyolali, Central Java, who is currently in his second year of the Master's Program at the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB).

According to Aditya, the scholarship program is a valuable opportunity to learn directly about the industrial ecosystem and innovations that support the development of the mineral downstream sector and energy transition.

"Through this program, I not only gained technical competence in the field of metallurgy and hydrometallurgy, but also the opportunity to learn from academic and industrial environments that encourage innovation, research collaboration, and problem solving. This experience formed a more adaptive and solution-oriented mindset," he said.

Aditya hopes that the knowledge and experience gained during the study period can be a resource to contribute to the development of strategic industries in Indonesia, especially the mineral downstream sector which is currently continuing to grow.

"Scholarship programs like this have an important role in preparing Indonesia's superior talent. Modern industrial infrastructure and facilities must be supported by competent human resources. Therefore, investment in education is a long-term investment to ensure that Indonesian industry can grow sustainably and supported by the best talents of the nation itself," he said.

Through various education programs, IWIP and WBN hope to continue to contribute to supporting the development of Indonesian human resources. The company believes that education is one of the most important keys to creating a young generation that has competence, competitiveness, and readiness to face future challenges.