Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search resultsCan't find what you're looking for?
View all search resultsCheap colleges offer hope for entry-level workers to gain degrees and eventually to improve their careers.
ow-skilled workers in Jakarta, mostly high school graduates, see an opportunity to improve their career paths through affordable colleges, although they have to juggle between work and school.
According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data in August 2018, of about 4.73 million workers in the city, only 25.58 percent of them were graduates of college-level institutions. Most of the workforce, 42.29 percent, were high school graduates while 32.13 percent were junior high school graduates.
Irpan Chrisson Limbong, 23, is a high-school graduate who works at a convenient store in Gambir, Central Jakarta. He is pursuing an undergraduate degree in management at the Open University (UT) and he is now in his third semester.
Hailing from Labuhan Batu Utara regency in North Sumatra, Irpan said he moved to the city in 2015 in search of work. He said that finding work in his home, the provincial capital Medan, was actually not difficult, but he said finding a job in Medan that offered him enough of a salary for him to pursue higher education while working was not easy. So he went to Jakarta to pursue his dream.
“Because my main goal of working is to [make enough] so I can continue my education,” Irpan said on Tuesday.
Irpan started at an entry level job as one of the store’s staff members and then got a promotion to become an assistant to the store chief.
With a monthly salary of about Rp 4.5 million (US$318), Irpan managed to pay for his basic needs, his education and even send some money back to his family.
Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.
Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.