These workers are expected to meet the demand for new labor in the sector that annually ranges between 500,000 and 600,000 people in line with industrial growth, which is projected to hover around 5 percent to 6 percent, according to Industry Ministry secretary general Haris Munandar.

“We target to produce as many as 220,000 certified competent workers this year,” Haris said Friday in a statement.

Late last month, the ministry launched a demand-driven vocational program named “Link and Match” that aims to provide much-needed skilled workers for the country’s manufacturing industry.

(Read also: ‘Link and match’ program launched in E. Java to address labor issue)

In the first phase, it connects 234 vocational schools (SMK) in East Java with 49 firms in the province. Students can take part in internships in those designated firms to enhance skills gained through their formal education.

By 2019, as many as 1,775 vocational schools will be connected to 355 industrial firms to allow 845,000 students to benefit from the vocational program.

Indonesia’s workforce in the industrial sector is projected to increase by 2.52 percent to 16.3 million this year from 15.9 million last year, according to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

In the past year, the industrial workforce represented 13.25 percent of the overall domestic workforce. (lnd)

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