Indonesia, Austria to boost cooperation in vocational training

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesia is intensifying cooperation with Austria on vocational training, conducting apprenticeships, and sending skilled Indonesian migrant workers to the latter country.

Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah explained that the cooperation was forged by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Work-Based Training Cooperation with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Manpower and Economy today.

Fauziyah made the remark during a press conference at the ministry’s office here on Thursday,

“The signing that we have just seen is a follow-up to the previous meeting in Austria in July 2022. This MoU is a (basis) for the development of cooperation in the employment sector,” she remarked after signing the MoU with Austrian Federal Minister of Labor and Economy Martin Kocher.

The cooperation encompasses vocational training, internships in Austria, and the initiation of a framework for the placement of skilled and professional migrant workers to the country.

Moreover, the ministry, through the Directorate General of Vocational Training and Productivity, also signed the Apprenticeship MoU to Austria.

Annually, Indonesia will send several participants to partake in internships in Austria.

The sectors targeted for apprenticeships are information technology, hotels/restaurants, carpentry, welding, electricity, industrial machinery, garments, business and management, creative industries, as well as processing and agriculture.

Indonesia and Austria had worked together to improve workers’ competence in the maritime sector through training hosted at the Vocational and Productivity Training Centers in Medan, Serang, and Makassar.

“With regard to the expansion of job opportunities in Austria, this is a good opportunity for the Indonesian workforce. As we all know, Austria (has) an aging population, so they require a lot of young and productive workers,” she stated.

On the other hand, Indonesia has a demographic bonus, in which there is an abundance of young workforce.

She expected the MoU to serve as an opportunity for both nations to develop mutually beneficial cooperation in terms of job opportunities.