- Indonesia explores new employment cooperation with Germany and Austria, expanding opportunities for migrant workers and apprentices beyond Asia.
- Manpower Minister Yassierli urges Indonesians to strengthen language skills, calling language proficiency the key challenge for European placements.
- Government highlights workers’ STAR qualities Polite, Resilient, Adaptive, and Diligent as it boosts domestic and overseas apprenticeship programs.
The Indonesian Ministry of Manpower has recently begun exploring employment cooperation with several European countries such as Germany and Austria on both migrant workers and apprentices.
"We have already placed thousands of workers to Japan and Korea. Now, we are exploring new requests from Europe, specifically from Germany and Austria", said Minister of Manpower Yassierli in Denpasar, Bali as quoted by Antara
Seeing this new opportunity, the Minister called on the public to prepare themselves, because the main challenge for working in European countries is language proficiency. Until now, most Indonesian Migrant Workers and apprentices have been distributed to Asian countries and Australia.
"The most important thing is the language, first and foremost. The field of work can be prepared, but language takes a long time", he said. He added that besides the employment sectors, which can be prepared for in training and through guidance by the Ministry, Indonesian workers' characteristics already fit those preferred by European companies, making adaptation easier.
"Indeed, Indonesian workers, whether apprentices or migrant workers, are well-liked because they are polite and ready to work", the Minister noted.
Also Read: Indonesia Expands Skills Training for Migrant Workers
He regularly advocates the acronym of STAR, which stands for Santun (Polite), Tangguh (Resilient), Adaptif (Adaptive), and Rajin (Diligent), for Indonesians who will work or have an internship abroad. This approach is intended to help them succeed and return home with valuable experience and enhanced skills without encountering major problems.
He added that creating jobs for all citizens was a constitutional duty of the government and this was why the government supported overseas apprenticeship programs. In terms of apprenticeships, the Ministry has established both international and domestic internship programs. Domestically, the program makes 100,000 slots available each year and offers interns a stipend for six months of work.
Meanwhile, the overseas apprenticeship program is three years, though it does not offer a government incentive; however, immediately upon placement, the participants receive an income directly from the foreign placement company.
