Minister urges youth to adapt as technological evolve

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Minister of Manpower Yassierli has urged young people to remain adaptable and continuously develop relevant skills to keep pace with rapid technological advances and the evolving demands of the labor market.

In a statement released here in Jakarta on Thursday, Yassierli said continuous skills development is essential for helping the younger generation succeed in an increasingly dynamic workplace.

"To the younger generation, please, stay relevant and continue to upgrade your skills, because the jobs in the future are looking for skills, not school," he said.

He believes the future challenges in the labour market lie not only in expanding employment opportunities, but also in equipping the Indonesian workforce with the future skills required by industry, ranging from knowledge and skills in artificial intelligence (AI) to automation.

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Yassierli welcomed initiatives by various stakeholders, including technology companies, to enhance the capabilities of Indonesia's young workforce.

He said collaboration among government, industry, and other stakeholders is essential to preparing human resources capable of competing amid the ongoing transformation of the global labor market.

"We appreciate every initiative undertaken by different sectors of the nation. What matters most is that we all care and take concrete action to improve the capabilities of Indonesia's young people," he said.

Yassierli noted that advances in AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and other digital technologies will continue to reshape workforce requirements. As a result, workers must continually upgrade their skills to avoid being left behind by technological disruption.

"Our guiding principle at the Ministry of Manpower is 'no one left behind.' We must ensure that AI and automation do not deprive Indonesians of employment opportunities simply because they lack access to skills development," he explained.

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The ministry is also expanding strategic partnerships with industry to strengthen workforce development.

Through its Directorate General of Vocational Training and Productivity Development, the Ministry recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with XLSMART to enhance vocational training through the Future Ready Programme.

The partnership includes the use of the ministry's vocational training centers as training venues, the development of industry-driven training programmes, courses in Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, competency certification, and support for internships, recruitment, and job placement for programme participants.

Yassierli expressed hope the partnership would go beyond the signing of the agreement and be translated into concrete programmes that deliver tangible benefits to the public.

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Translator: Nur, Azis Kurmala

Editor: Fransiska Ninditya

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