Youth Unemployment Rate 16.16 Percent, Hundreds of Children are Encouraged to Have Productive Skills

Illustration of the job exchange (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Efforts to reduce the high rate of youth unemployment in Indonesia continue to be driven by various parties, including the private sector. Entering its 11th year of implementation, the GoTeach DHL program in Indonesia strengthens its commitment to preparing young people to be more job-ready and have skills that are relevant to industry needs.

Throughout 2025, this program involves more than 230 young people aged 15 to 24 years from Banda Aceh, Meulaboh, Medan, Jakarta, Lembang, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Bali, to Flores. This coverage is the largest in the history of the implementation of GoTeach in the country.

More than 40 volunteers from DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding, and DHL Supply Chain donated more than 2,000 hours of volunteering to teach, facilitate training, and hold career planning workshops. Activities are focused on providing work skills, character development, and readiness for the professional world.

Globally, GoTeach was launched in 2010 as a DHL social program aimed at increasing employment opportunities for young people, especially from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. This program is part of the DHL Group's mission, "Connecting people, improving lives".

In Indonesia, DHL has partnered with SOS Children's Villages and a number of local organizations and companies, such as Berkat Lentera Kecil, Dibimbing, Merck, and the Berani Bermimpi Foundation. This collaboration has developed a comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes self-development, digital literacy, job readiness, to insights into sectors with high growth potential.

Participants follow eight structured virtual sessions, intensive mentoring, and direct mentoring from professionals. DHL also launched an online learning library so that participants can access materials on an ongoing basis and develop skills according to their individual needs.

Senior Technical Advisor DHL Express Indonesia, Ahmad Mohamad, said that collaboration between businesses, communities, and social organizations has proven to be able to open access to more equal learning while expanding young people's employment opportunities.

"The scale and depth of this year's collaboration make the learning material more relevant to industry needs. This is part of DHL's long-term commitment to supporting the development of young talent," he said, Tuesday, January 28.

President Director of DHL Global Forwarding Indonesia, Nicholas Bongsosartono, added that cooperation with SOS Children's Villages helps reach areas with limited access to education and connectivity, so that more young people get the same learning opportunities.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of DHL Supply Chain Indonesia, Mauricio Almeida, assessed that many young people have great potential but have not been honed in terms of communication, work discipline, and problem-solving skills.

"GoTeach provides that opportunity, and we see consistent skill improvement throughout the program," he said.

The employment challenge of the younger generation in Indonesia itself is still a national concern. Data shows that the unemployment rate for 15-24 year olds reaches 16.16 percent, the highest compared to other age groups. This condition emphasizes the importance of vocational training programs, skill improvement, and career guidance that are directed.

Through GoTeach, DHL hopes to contribute to reducing the youth unemployment rate by expanding access to job training, strengthening the mental and technical readiness of participants, and bridging the needs of the industry with local talent.

With a more inclusive and collaborative learning approach, this program is targeted to continue to be expanded to produce more adaptive, competent, and competitive young generations in the labor market.