Media

Palangkaraya, July 4, 2025 — Vice Chair of Inter-Institutional Relations at the Indonesian Employers’ Association (APINDO), Parlindungan Purba, emphasized that enhancing the quality and productivity of Indonesia’s workforce can only be achieved through close collaboration between the government and the private sector. APINDO plays a central role in this effort through initiatives such as the Entrepreneurs Teach program, vocational training development across nine provinces, and a triple-skilling approach to address the ever-evolving challenges of the labor market. These efforts are designed to strengthen the alignment between education and industry, while serving as a national productivity catalyst.

Parlindungan delivered his remarks at the 2025 KNPI Youth Roundtable (Sarasehan Pemuda), a strategic forum held on Friday (July 4) in Palangkaraya. He was accompanied by Frans Martinus, Chair of the Central Kalimantan chapter of APINDO, along with other organizational leaders.

APINDO’s participation in the forum followed a previous audience held with the Indonesian Youth National Committee (KNPI) in June. KNPI Chairman Ryano Panjaitan expressed appreciation for the growing synergy between APINDO and KNPI.

The roundtable featured a prominent lineup of speakers, including the Governor of Central Kalimantan; the Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration; the Deputy Minister of Investment/Head of the Downstream Investment Division; the Governor of Lampung; the Deputy Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology; House of Representatives (DPR RI) Commission VI member Saraswati Djojohadikusumo; the Director General of Metal, Machinery, Transportation, and Electronics Industries from the Ministry of Industry; and KNPI leadership from across the country.

Parlindungan highlighted that Indonesia’s workforce remains hindered by low competitiveness, as reflected in limited educational attainment and a significant mismatch between worker skills and industry needs. According to an APINDO survey, only 26.56% of business owners are satisfied with the current quality of the workforce. APINDO sees this gap between education and labor market demands as a structural challenge that must be addressed through vocational curriculum reform, stronger linkages with industry, and adaptation to technological advancement.

He further stressed the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration in transforming youth human capital development strategies. This includes strengthening character education and soft skills, improving digital literacy, and fostering youth entrepreneurship. APINDO believes that young people must be not only technically competent but also resilient in character and equipped with a global mindset. “With the principle that skills are the new currency, the business sector and government must work hand-in-hand to create an agile, globally competitive generation,” he stated.

In response to challenges such as deindustrialization and overdependence on raw commodity-based economies, Parlindungan underscored the urgency of reindustrialization, value-added downstreaming, and the acceleration of both the green and digital economy. APINDO positions itself as an active partner in promoting inclusive and sustainable development, under the spirit of "Indonesia Incorporated." He affirmed that the business community should not remain mere spectators, but rather act as shareholders of the nation, contributing meaningfully to job creation and the building of Indonesia’s economic future.