Migrant worker ministry works with 11 ministries on SMK Go Global

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Ministry for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI) is working with 11 ministries to prepare globally competitive workers under the Go Global Vocational High School (SMK Go Global) programme, targeting 500,000 migrant workers by 2029.

Deputy Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers Christina Aryani announced the initiative after chairing a technical coordination meeting with representatives of 11 ministries overseeing vocational education institutions in Jakarta on Wednesday.

"We want to align cross-sector efforts in coaching competent Indonesian migrant workers who are ready to enter the international labor market," Christina said in a statement.

She said the SMK Go Global is designed to ensure participants obtain overseas jobs that match verified labor market demand after completing vocational training.

The programme integrates participant selection, training, certification, and job placement to produce workers who meet employers' requirements in destination countries.

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The participating ministries include the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, and the Ministry of Industry, among others.

Christina urged ministries with vocational education institutions to align their curricula with the needs of international labor market, while providing alumni data and helping disseminate information about the programme.

Such inter-ministerial collaboration, she added, would help Indonesia produce migrant workers who are competent, certified, and ready to compete in overseas labor markets.

The first phase of the programme will run from mid-July through December 2026, targeting 40,000 prospective migrant workers.

Eligible participants include vocational high school graduates and members of the public with basic competencies who can complete accelerated training with additional skills, including foreign language proficiency and professional certification.

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Christina said the participant's target was based on verified labor demand identified through the Computerised System for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (SiskoP2MI) and Indonesian missions in more than 130 countries.

Meeting the 2026 target will require about 2,000 training classes, each accommodating 20 participants.

The programme covers eight priority sectors and 31 occupations, including healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, construction, and metal processing.

Christina said the biggest challenge remains the final recruitment process by employers in destination countries.

"The entire training process must produce prospective migrant workers, who not only meet competency and language standards but also possess the character and work readiness required by employers overseas," she said.

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Translator: Katriana, Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak

Editor: Fransiska Ninditya

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