Pre-Employment Cards, Efforts Of The Government To Small Mismatch The Labor Force

Photo: Doc. Antara

JAKARTA - Mismatch or discrepancy between education graduates and industrial needs is still a problem in the development of human resources (HR) in Indonesia, from a study by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of around 53.3 percent of workers currently have educational backgrounds that are not in accordance with their work.

This means that most workers are active outside of competence or there is a mismatch between education being pursued and work activities being carried out.

This also shows that the direction of education and training in Indonesia still needs to be pursued in order to comply with the needs of the business world and the industrial world.

This case should not be allowed, it needs panacea so that the background of community education is in accordance with the needs of the business world and industry. This is where the role of the Pre-Employment Card Program is to reduce the mismatch of the workforce.

In this regard, the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs in collaboration with the World Bank created a skills monitoring system that harmonizes education and skills programs against the demands of the business world and the industrial world.

The first step taken from the monitoring system is through the preparation of a Critical Occupation List (COL) or a Critical Work List in Indonesia.

Deputy for Coordination of the Digital Economy, Employment and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises of the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy Mohammad Rudy Salahuddin said that international work lists of critical work have been used to formulate targeted education and migration policies that handle critical skills gaps.

Not only that, the Critical Work List also helps policymakers to define investments in training programs, adjustment of incentives for trade programs, as well as any skills that job seekers must develop to increase their value in the labor market.

"With this list, the incompatibility of the workforce with the needs of the industry can continue to be reduced in the future," said Rudy, in his statement, quoted Monday, December 12.

Based on the results of the 2020 IndotaSk (Indonesia's Occupational Tasks and Skills) report, there are 51 jobs with high demand in Indonesia. These professions are considered to be much needed or important for the Indonesian economy.

IndotaSk is a study that aims to meet data needs for development policies and monitoring labor skills.

Based on research by the World Bank and the Indonesian National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), there are five important works from these 51 professions, namely software developers, graphic designers, building architects, marketing managers, and financial analysts.

So, in order to be able to compete in the world of work, especially filling and master work with high demand in Indonesia, it takes expertise and skills that will become more value when applying for a job.

One way to improve skills is to participate in training and get additional knowledge that can be obtained through the Pre-Employment Card Program.

One alumni of the 11th batch of Pre-Employment Card Program, Jeklin Jizi Pongotak, is one example of fighting in high- demand jobs in Indonesia. He received graphic design orders for various purposes from the customer.

Officially being a beneficiary of the Pre-Employment Card Program, he immediately took two types of training, namely graphic design and training to get a satisfactory TOEFL score.

Thanks to the training provided in the Pre-Employment Card Program, he admitted that he could increase his capacity and increase his selling value to customers to use his services, because the Pre-Employment Card Program provides certificates that can support client confidence in his credibility.

"It is undeniable that people also want proof that it is not their ability. So when I already have this certificate, it is easier to show I have undergone training and in the end it becomes easy, easy to accept," said Jeklin when met by ANTARA at the Pre-Employment Card event in Bali.

The student of the Faculty of English Education at Tanjungpura University, Pontianak, in West Kalimantan is now actively receiving graphic design orders. At the same time, he also opened the services of translators and private tutors.

Even some work came from several office offices in his hometown in Melawi, West Kalimantan even though he is now domiciled in Pontianak.

The beneficiary of another Pre-Employment Card Program, Erlinda Rambu Enga from Sumba Island, East Nusa Tenggara admitted that the Pre-Employment Card Program has increased her potential to compete in the job market.

Receiving to be a beneficiary participant in Wave 5, the 28-year-old woman said she was accepted to be a participant in the Pre-Employment Card Program was a blessing for her.

Even though his family still has rice fields whose products can be sold to support the needs of the extended family, he is determined to continue to have his own income.

"From the Pre-Employment Card Program, I know what is called making my own money. If there is no such program, maybe I just sleep because I might be waiting from the agricultural business," said Erlinda, who also spoke to ANTARA when met at the Pre-Employment Card Program event in Bali.

Erlinda chose several trainings provided with the Pre-Employment Card Program, namely using Microsoft Excel, digital marketing and online entrepreneurs.

Armed with the certificate he received after training, he then applied to become a partner of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) who was an officer to conduct various surveys in the field.

This is not the first time he has applied to become a partner of BPS, but unlike the previous proposal, now Erlinda has been accepted to become a BPS officer in 2020 when she includes a certificate from the Pre-Employment Card Program training.

In the research Abdul Latif Jameel visitor Action Lab Southeast Asia (J-PAL SEA), it shows that Pre-Employment Card recipients have a probability of more than 172 percent to use training certificates when looking for work.

The research also shows that Pre-Employment Card participants also have a higher probability of 18 percent to increase the chances of getting a new job. Pre-Employment Card recipients also have a 30 percent higher probability of increasing the chances of having a business.

Meanwhile, the results of research by the Indonesian Precise Research House concluded that the Pre-Employment Card Program increased higher competence by 2.2 percent, increased productivity higher by 2.7 percent, and increased competitiveness by 3.8 percent.

In addition, Precision Research also concluded that the Pre-Employment Card Program increased beneficiaries to develop 49 percent higher entrepreneurship skills.

The Executive Director of Pre-Employment Card Program Implementing Management, Denni Puspa Purbasari, conveyed that the results of research from J-PAL SEA and Indonesian Precision prove that the Pre-Employment Card Program is proven to be effective in increasing competence, productivity, competitiveness, entrepreneurship, and income of Pre-Employment Card recipients.

"The scientific evidence shows that the Pre-Employment Card Program has succeeded in carrying out its dual mission during the pandemic, namely increasing skills as well as providing social assistance," said Denni.

The complete package of the Pre-Employment Card Program in the form of training and assistance, according to him, is a unique innovation from the Government of Indonesia in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pre-Employment Card itself until the end of 2022 has been felt by 16.45 million people in 514 regencies/cities spread throughout Indonesia.

Through the Pre-Employment Card, which provides 1,224 vocational training programs, it is hoped that it can help answer the challenges of job market trends and encourage workers in Indonesia to face various existing changes with qualified competence.