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SERANG — The gap between education and industry needs remains a major challenge in Banten Province. Vocational school graduates are increasingly expected not only to hold academic qualifications, but also to possess competencies that are directly relevant to the demands of the labor market.

In response to this challenge, the Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO) Banten has initiated the establishment of SMK Apindo Daya Banten, a vocational high school designed to produce job-ready graduates while contributing to efforts to reduce unemployment in Banten.

Chairman of the Apindo Daya Banten Foundation, Najib Hanafi, said the initiative was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Apindo Daya Banten Foundation and the Mitra Industri Mandiri Foundation, which operates SMK Mitra Industri MM2100 in Cikarang.

He said vocational education must be designed to directly address the needs of industry. Graduates are expected to possess not only technical competencies but also a strong workplace culture.

“The graduates will be ready to work. They will have the necessary competencies and work ethic, as well as discipline, knowledge, technical skills, an understanding of safety, and an understanding of productivity,” Najib said.

He noted that efforts to establish a meaningful link and match between educational institutions and the business and industrial sectors continue to face significant gaps.

“We often talk about the link and match between education and the business and industrial sectors. But in many cases, they are still not sufficiently connected. The gap remains quite significant,” he said.

Against this backdrop, APINDO Banten, together with the Banten Provincial Government and the Banten Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD), has initiated the establishment of SMK Apindo Daya Banten.

Najib emphasized that the school is not merely intended to produce more graduates, but to strengthen the quality of human resources in Banten and increase their opportunities to enter the industrial workforce.

“The objective is to improve the quality of human resources in Banten Province, and ultimately to reduce the unemployment rate in the province,” he said.

Kris R. Adidharma, Executive Chairman of the Banten APINDO Executive Board (DPP APINDO Banten) and owner of PT Propan, said prospective students at SMK Apindo Daya Banten would be prioritized from communities surrounding industrial areas.

He said this approach is expected to provide graduates with closer access to employment opportunities and to the workforce needs of companies operating near the school.

“The students will be recruited from communities in these areas. This is one of the ways we can help address unemployment in Banten,” Kris said.

Several study programs are currently being prepared, including Mechatronics, Accounting, Logistics, and Autotronics. A Food Technology program is still under consideration.

Kris stressed that the selection of study programs should not simply follow educational trends, but must be aligned with the actual needs of companies.

“We must ensure that all of the study programs being established can be effectively absorbed by companies in the surrounding areas,” he said.

The initial student recruitment and outreach process is expected to begin in October 2026, while full-scale teaching and learning activities are targeted to commence in the 2027 academic year.

Chairman of the Banten APINDO Executive Board, Tommy Rahmatullah, said the establishment of the vocational school would require support from various stakeholders, particularly the industrial sector.

He called on companies across Banten, both APINDO members and non-members, to contribute to the development of the vocational school.

“This vocational high school is being established in Banten with the objective of helping reduce unemployment,” Tommy said.

He expressed hope that graduates of SMK Apindo Daya Banten would possess three key assets: knowledge, skills, and attitudes and behaviors that meet the requirements of the workplace.

“We hope the graduates of this vocational school will become high-quality human resources, equipped with knowledge, skills, as well as attitudes and behaviors that will enable them to perform effectively in companies, particularly those operating in Banten,” he said.

For the initial phase, the school is expected to offer approximately three to five study programs, with each program projected to begin with one class.

If implemented as planned, SMK Apindo Daya Banten is expected to go beyond serving as an institution that simply produces graduates and instead become a practical bridge between education and the workforce needs of Banten’s industrial sector.

Source: rubrikbanten.com