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View all search resultsFresh grads pin hopes on new internship program amid poor job prospects
With few vacancies on offer, young Indonesians are looking to enter the jobs market through the government’s new internship program, but will they find permanent employment at the end of it?
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Job seekers register for a jobs fair attended by over 100 recruiting companies and thousands of job seekers in Jakarta on May 22, 2025. (AFP/Bay Ismoyo)
W
ith few vacancies on offer, young Indonesians are looking to enter the jobs market through the government’s new internship program, but will they find permanent employment at the end of it?
The program, which aims to “link and match” graduates with industries, is to begin in the fourth quarter of this year.
Alfiah, a recent communications graduate, said she was “quite interested” in applying, given the current challenges and high entry barriers into the labor market.
“Honestly, I’d prefer it if [the government] just created more jobs, but if we’re given such an [internship] program, I hope it’s well-targeted,” she told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old, who is currently freelancing while actively looking for permanent work, said recruiters often failed to appreciate the value of internships, but ironically, “even internship applications now require prior experience”.
Alfiah argued the program should prioritize applicants with limited professional experience and voiced frustration over many job vacancies being off limits for fresh graduates by requiring years of experience, a university background, a minimum age or other prerequisites.
After months of looking for a job, she concluded that opportunities for full-time employment were dwindling, noting that some employers offered salaries below the minimum wage.
