Gov’t Opens Second Batch of National Internship Program, Targets 150,000 Participants

Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya opens registration for the 2026 National Internship Program at the Ministry of Manpower’s Labor Market Center, Jakarta, Monday (6/29). (Photo by: Public Relations of Cabinet Secretariat)

The Government officially opened registration for the second batch of the 2026 National Internship Program. This strategic initiative demonstrates concrete commitment of President Prabowo Subianto to addressing employment challenges, particularly for recent graduates.

“One of the main challenges faced by the Government every single year is how to ensure graduates, especially those holding bachelor degree can have a job shortly and earn an income,” said Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya in a statement at the Ministry of Manpower’s Labor Market Center in Jakarta, Monday (6/29).

To address this challenge, the Cabinet Secretary said that President Prabowo, through the Minister of Manpower, along with his team, launched the National Internship Program, which is currently in its second batch after its successful implementation in 2025. The Government has allocated a budget of approximately Rp4.2 trillion to support this priority program.

The Cabinet Secretary said that this program guarantees three main things for graduating students. First, they can immediately begin an internship and work for six months. Second, participants will earn between Rp3.5 million and Rp6 million per month, depending on their placement location and the local Regency/City Minimum Wage (UMK). Third, participants will receive direct training from mentors at their respective companies.

“Last year, the internship program was opened for over 100,000 participants and a total of 102,000 participants joined the program. This year, inshaallah, it is opened for 150,000 participants. Interestingly, based on data from Minister of Manpower, of those 100,000 participants, there were 400,000 people interested in joining the program. After six months, 30 percent of them were immediately employed by the companies,” said the Cabinet Secretary.

Moreover, he said that this program has proven effective for recent graduates to immediately obtain income and job. For the remaining participants who are not immediately hired, they are usually absorbed into the job market quickly because they already have experience.

“Other companies definitely want to hire experienced employee. So, according to the Ministry of Manpower’s data, they are guaranteed immediate employment. The remaining participants will be recruited by other companies within 2-3 months,” he added.

In this second batch, the program does not only prioritize bachelor’s degree graduates but also opens opportunities for professional degree holders and people with disabilities. The Cabinet Secretary said that registration will open in July, allowing participants to begin their internships in August 2026.

For your information, the registration process for companies wishing to offer internships officially opens today through the Siapkerja platform. The verification process for industry vacancies is expected to be completed by July 15, 2026, followed by the gradual opening of registration for internship participants.

Concluding his statement, the Cabinet Secretary also expressed his appreciation to thousands of business sectors, ministries, and institutions that have supported this program from the beginning.

“I express my gratitude to all state-owned enterprises and private companies. There were 8,800 companies joining in the first batch, and inshaallah, there will be more of them joining this year, in the second batch. The more is better,” he concluded.

Also present at the event accompanying the Cabinet Secretary were Minister of Manpower Professor Yassierli and Deputy Minister of Manpower Afriansyah Noor. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (JAS/LW)