VP: Work Trainings Tailored to Meet Labor Market, Industry Demands

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin at the National Meeting on Vocation and Entrepreneurship as well as the inauguration of the 2020 Community Work Training Center (BLK Komunitas), at Cipasung Islamic Boarding School, Singaparna, Tasikmalaya Regency, West Java, Tuesday (8/6). (Photo by: PR of Ministry of Manpower)

The Community Work Training Center (BLK) must continually develop tailored vocational trainings that meet the demands of labor market and industrial sector, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has said.

“The measures and policies for development of Community BLKs need to be linked and matched with the industries around the Community BLKs,” the Vice President said in his remarks at the National Meeting on Vocation and Entrepreneurship as well as the inauguration of the 2020 Community Work Training Center, at Cipasung Islamic Boarding School, Singaparna, Tasikmalaya Regency, West Java, Tuesday (8/6).

According to him, the development of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) and rapid development of digital technology have disrupted various sectors of life, including industry and employment.

The Vice President cited an example of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and development of digital technology that have eliminated many job professions since people’s skills have been replaced by artificial intelligence (AI). For that matter, such things need to be anticipated by the Community BLKs in devising its training programs.

“The Community BLKs must also collaborate with academia and industry in order to master the latest science and technology to anticipate the development of the industrial world,” Ma’ruf said.

The Community BLKs is also expected to produce a productive workforce capable of adapting to the dynamics in today’s global development that fulfills the mastery of science and technology based on research and innovation so that the workforce can provide contributions to the nation’s progress.

In addition, the training programs the Community BLKs hold should encourage public interest in entrepreneurship and create new job opportunities to reduce unemployment.

“A total of 23 vocational trainings have encouraged people’s interest in entrepreneurship that can reduce employment and recover the economy,” he added.

Echoing similar sentiment, Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah asserted that the Community BLKs are expected to provide technical production skills or vocational expertise that aligns with the needs of labor market for community, workers, and general public.

For the record, the Community BLK is a vocational training unit in a community at non-governmental religious education institutions, including Islamic boarding school, seminaries, dhammasekha (formal Buddhist education), pasramans (educational institution for Hindu-Buddhist religion), as well as labor union communities across the country.

The Community BLK is part of the Government’s efforts to create competent and competitive human resources, which is one of the Government’s priority programs under the current leadership of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

In 2020, Ministry of Manpower has established 1,014 Community BLKs, bringing a total number of Community BLKs to 2,127 nationwide.

Ida revealed that the Ministry has provided the programs and allocated budgets for operational cost assistance and vocational training package program assistance.

“In addition, the Ministry has also prepared a program to train instructors and managers of Community BLK so that the Community BLKs can be well-managed,” Ida said.

To date, Ministry of Manpower has developed a vocational training program at the Community BLKs into 23 vocational schools, namely Automotive Engineering; Refrigeration Engineering; Welding Engineering; Furniture and Woodworking Construction Engineering; Marine Engineering; Telecommunication Infrastructure Installation; Electronics; Technical Information; Robotics; Multimedia; Visual Communication Design; Processing of Agricultural Products (Agro-industry); Processing of Fishery Products (Fishery Industry); Art; Craft Arts; Batik Techniques; Fashion and Textile Design; Cosmetic; Language; Hospitality; Traditional Health; Culinary Arts; and Industrial Relations.

“The synergy between the Government, religious institutions, the industrial world, and labor unions through the Community BLK development program is expected to be the backbone in producing reliable workforce,” she remarked. (PR of Ministry of Manpower/UN) (RIF/MUR)