TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Transportation Budi Karya revealed that hundreds of newly graduated pilots are currently still unemployed.

These are new pilots with a zero-flying experience despite having obtained a commercial pilot certification. In order to be certified, a person would need to spend hundreds of millions of rupiah.

Read also: Transportation Ministry Closes Two Flight Schools

“We cannot hide the fact that there are 600 beginner pilots that do not have the opportunity to get a job, this is saddening for me as a Minister,” said Transportation Minister Budi Sumadi on Wednesday, January 24.

This situation is the reason why the ministry is currently reforming flight schools that are considered to be lacking the qualifications.

“The transportation ministry will not stand still. We must take over this situation, we’re responsible for it especially since it is about the safety aspect [of flying],” Budi continued.

The Minister reminded AB Initio pilots to improve their competence level to be able to compete with other pilots and optimize the employment of pilots in general. “Get an intern job for six months or for a whole year, take the example of foreign pilots that garner fight experience in Papua, consider yourself providing service for the country,” he advised.

Read also: Airliners Claim Many Pilot Candidates Incompetent

He claims that the foreign pilots are willing to be underpaid at locations that are far from urban environments. Minister Budi argues that it is meant to maintain their competence and skill sets as a pilot.

Minister Budi Karya previously said that many pilots are unemployed because of the imbalance between the supply and demand. There are 18 flight schools with an average rate of graduates of 50 pilots each year, which means that there will be at least 900 new pilots each year.

ANTARA