The Industry Ministry cooperates with local gov't to create competent HR

The Ministry of Industry collaborates with regional governments and the industrial sector to be actively involved in creating competent human resources.

Collaboration between stakeholders related to this field is believed to have accelerated the target of the government's priority programs.

"Indeed, we must immediately move faster in order to prepare competent human resources, according to the priority program of Mr. President Joko Widodo. After the intensive development of infrastructure, it was then continued with the development of human resources, " said Secretary General of the Ministry of Industry Haris Munandar through his statement in Jakarta on Sunday.

Haris said, the Ministry of Industry and the Government of South Sulawesi Province gathered a number of leaders of manufacturing companies in Makassar.

This strategic effort is a follow-up to the launch of an industrial vocational education program in the Sulawesi region in early January 2019.

"This program is not only carried out by the central government, but also involves the regional governments and primarily the industry players themselves. This follow-up is one of them to compile the curriculum and other steps that will need to be done, "he explained.

Haris added, his party had also facilitated the development of community polytechnics and academies in several industrial areas including those in eastern Indonesia. For example, the Metal Industry Polytechnic in Morowali, Central Sulawesi and the Academy of Manufacturing Industry Communities in Bantaeng, South Sulawesi.

"We believe that the presence of the community polytechnic or academy can make it easier to supply competent industrial workforce," he said.

The opposite effect is believed to boost the local and national economy. For example, in Morowali industrial area, the value of investment has penetrated 5 billion US dollars, exports reached 4 billion US dollars, and employment of 20 thousand people until 2018.

Haris stated, in carrying out industrial vocational education at the polytechnic and community academy, the Ministry of Industry has collaborated with Switzerland to develop the Skill For Competitiveness (S4C) program.

"We use the concept of learning in a dual system, which is 30 percent theory and 70 percent is practice," he explained.

Then, as the digitalization era began, the Ministry of Industry was building a 4.0 Center for HR Innovation and Development in Jakarta.

"With 1.3 hectares of land in Permata Hijau, we will build like the Digital Capability Center in Singapore. We also collaborate with McKinsey, "he added.

Meanwhile, South Sulawesi Governor Nurdin Abdullah said that he wanted to continue to synergize with the central government and industry players in an effort to boost economic growth in the region. One of the strategic steps is to prepare skilled industrial human resources.

"We have to change the pattern that has only been waiting for investors to arrive. So now, we have to pick them up. If necessary, investors do not need to come to an audience at the office of the regional head, but the regional head must go to the investors in his office. Now the model is like that, "he explained.

Furthermore, according to Nurdin, he has long cooperated and established communication with the Ministry of Industry, especially when he was still serving as Bantaeng district head.

"The presence of the Ministry of Industry is timely, because at that time we were encouraging the development of the industry in Bantaeng. Indeed, the key to success is the preparation of competent human resources, "he concluded.