en.malanginspirasi.com – A total of 3,000 East Java vocational high school (SMK) graduates were officially released to meet the needs of the industrial sector in various placement countries, from Asia, Europe, and Australia.
Chairman of Commission E of East Java Provincial People’s Representative Council (DPRD), Dr. Sri Untari Bisowarno, M.AP. attended the departure ceremony on National Awakening Day (Hari Kebangkitan Nasional).
She expressed high appreciation for this strategic program.
She said that this initiative is clear evidence that East Java vocational high school graduates possess global capacity and extraordinary competitiveness if given the space to develop.
“Our children actually have excellent potential when they have opportunities. This program has been a strong synergy between the East Java Provincial Government and the Central Government to break the negative stigma that vocational high school graduates contribute to high unemployment rates,” said Sri Untari when confirmed on Wednesday (May 20).
The legislator, who is also a national cooperative figure, added that the graduates were not simply sent off.
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They have such a comprehensive preparation for a full year through language training, cultural introductions, and strengthening of technical competencies according to the specifications of the destination countries.
Some of the countries targeted for placement include Germany, Turkey, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, and Bulgaria. The labor needs in these countries are highly varied and specific.
In Japan, East Java graduates are largely absorbed in the caregiving and agricultural sectors.
Meanwhile, Turkey needs employees for the industrial precision sector, while Bulgaria in the hospitality sector, and Germany focuses on the large-scale manufacturing sector.
Interestingly, of the thousands of participants who departed, Sri Untari found that many young people from Greater Malang had successfully passed the selection process and become representatives at the forefront.
“Thank God, I met directly with representatives from Malang, including those from Arjowinangun, Klojen, and Ngantang. They are ready to go to work in Japan and Germany. This is very encouraging,” explained the legislator from the Greater Malang electoral district.
Furthermore, Sri Untari emphasized that the legislative and oversight functions of the East Java DPRD will continue to encourage the strengthening of the vocational education sector.
Amidst the current limited domestic job market, the opportunity for tens of millions of jobs abroad must be seized as a strategic solution.
“As a legislator, I believe it’s crucial that during this time of national awakening, we truly provide hope for a better life for our children. If the domestic market isn’t fully prepared, the international market is the answer to preventing unemployment. Moving forward, we must continue to develop vocational schools whose curriculum aligns with what is most in demand and needed by developed countries,” she concluded.
