Human Development Ministry to Evaluate Ferienjob, Encourages Overseas Internships

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Deputy 6 of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Warsito, responded to the human trafficking case under the guise of a ferienjob program in Germany. Warsito highlighted the importance of the internship program abroad as a whole to increase human resource capacity.

"I coordinated with Professor Haris that this internship is something that is very much needed to gain experience regarding not only working skills but soft skills, such as discipline and punctuality," said Warsito in Jakarta on Monday, April 1, 2024.

According to him, the overseas internship program is necessary considering the quality of Indonesian human resources abroad. Warsito revealed that an internal meeting has reiterated the importance of overseas internships for students.

"So, our approach is to review the necessary regulations," he said. To examine the ferienjob case, Warsito said the ministry will hold a meeting with various parties this week, namely the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Manpower, the Migrant Workers Protection Agency, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"This incident will be evaluated but must not act as a deterrent for educational institutions and students," Warsito said. "The spirit for new experience must be supported with regulations so the Merdeka Internship program is carried out properly.”

Responding to House's proposal to form a special task force to address the ferienjob issue, the ministry admitted to fully backing the idea. "We will encourage assistance and we hope that the students will have their rights fulfilled," said Warsito.

According to Warsito, his side will assist the students to continue their internships as intended. "We will support the task force to improve [internship] situation and we will review it," he said.

Warsito said European countries often offer similar programs to ferienjob. "The relationship between the individual concerned and the local company as well as the jobdesk was already clear," he said, stating that ferienjob was similar to the program but had no relations to academics. 

"Therefore, of course, we hope that in the future, there may be a task force including us who evaluate the regulations at the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Education," he said.

INTAN SETIAWANTY

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