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Cakap: Pioneering Indonesian edtech in Timor-Leste, elevating human resources quality
This is reflected in the Timor-Leste International Skills Week, held from Oct. 23 to 27 in the capital, Dili.
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strong>Dili, Timor-Leste. As a young nation, Timor-Leste is taking serious actions to improve the quality of its human resources. This is reflected in the Timor-Leste International Skills Week, held from Oct. 23 to 27 in the capital, Dili. More than 300 people attended the event, which included exhibitions of various products related to technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and seminars on efforts to elevate human resources quality in Timor-Leste.
Isabel Fernandes de Lima, the executive director of the National Institute of Workforce Development (INDMO), as the organizer, said the event was organized to prepare Timor-Leste's human resources for the local and global job market. "We are aware of the importance of upskilling, and we are preparing for it early because we want to be on par with other nations. Skilled human resources will be beneficial not only for their communities but also for the country's economy," said Isabel.
Cakap, as the only edtech from Indonesia participating in this event, both in panel discussions and exhibitions, expressed appreciation for its involvement in this inaugural event. Yoshua Yanottama, head of learning labs at Cakap, observed that Timor-Leste is predominantly inhabited by young people who need certified training in their respective industries. This country also has significant potential, especially with the increasing technological adaptation of its people.
"The cultural proximity presents an opportunity for Indonesian edtech companies to expand their business to Timor-Leste and provide courses that meet their needs. In this regard, Cakap can provide training materials tailored to the development of Timor-Leste's human resources," said Yoshua.
Cakap is the first Indonesian edtech to enter Timor-Leste and has been contributing to the development of Timor-Leste's human resources for a year by offering English courses. Cakap collaborates with the local telecommunications operator, Telkomcel, a subsidiary of PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin), to bridge online classes with students in the country. "The development of human resources is undoubtedly needed, and certified training will greatly help Timor-Leste, as there are still relatively few certified human resources, especially in the IT, construction and education sectors," said Heru Yulianto, vice president marketing and sales at Telkomcel.
According to data released by the Directorate General of Statistics at the Timor-Leste Finance Ministry, in 2021, the overall unemployment rate was 5.1 percent, with youth (15-24 years) having a higher percentage of 9.6 percent. This has prompted the Timor-Leste government to continue providing job opportunities and filling up the domestic labor market. Vocational training with partners in upskilling is one way to achieve this goal.
Since the first quarter of 2023, Cakap has been providing practical digital skills in addition to English for business purposes to the people of Timor-Leste, which involve presentation design and business analysis. The collaboration between two Indonesian entities, Cakap and Telkomcel, is expected to elevate the quality of Timor-Leste's human resources, ranging from skill enhancement and getting jobs quickly, to higher incomes.
"Some of our students can now perform new tasks such as data analysis and working on presentation materials that support their respective workplaces. In the future, we hope to see collaboration among Indonesian entities to advance the quality of Timor-Leste's human resources," Yoshua concluded.
