High unemployment, not easy to find quality workers in West Java

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At the same time, the unemployment rate in West Java is quite high. According to data from the Central Statistics Agency, out of 7.86 million unemployed individuals in Indonesia as of August 2023, 1.88 million of them are in West Java.

This condition appears to be in contrast to the need for manpower in incoming investments. He considered that employers are having difficulty finding qualified workers due to the education level that does not correspond to the needs.

"This shift also automatically requires qualified workers. In the past, it could be done with high school and vocational school graduates. Nowadays, it requires higher capacity. So, it is not easy to find qualified employees, and we are very concerned because on the other hand, West Java also has a high unemployment rate, even contributing 24 percent to the national unemployment rate," he said during a discussion at the Halalbihalal event of Apindo Jabar Bandung, Thursday (25/4/2024).

In a discussion attended by Deputy Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara, Ning hoped that the government would provide solutions in dealing with this issue. She questioned Suahasil about the education fund amounting to Rp 139.1 trillion. The fund is accumulated from 2010 to 2023.

"So, we're thinking about how those funds can be managed to maximize productivity and improve the competitiveness of entrepreneurs in West Java," he said.

Suahasil explained that this endowment fund is intended to guarantee the continuity of education programs for future generations. This fund cannot be used for expenditures, but the results of its development can be used for various purposes, one of which is scholarships for Indonesian children.

The Education Fund Management Agency (LPDP) from the Ministry of Finance is a form of perpetual fund management in the field of education. Suahasil stated that, from 2013-2023, LPDP has provided scholarships to 45,496 students, both domestic and international.

"This endowment fund is managed, and the results are used to finance the education of Indonesian children. There are general scholarships, affirmative action for remote, outermost, underdeveloped, impoverished areas, as well as others. This is a combination that is done every year," he said.

Suahasil hopes that this education will improve productivity within the country. Although the quality of education is not only about degrees, higher levels of education will also provide greater potential for productivity.

"The children who receive these scholarships will return to Indonesia. Indeed, productivity is not only about degrees (education), but also work methods, culture, supervision, and others. However, I believe that higher education also provides greater potential," he said.

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