Employment promotion and South-South cooperation
ILO strengthens capacity of national employment services centres in Indonesia through specialized training on counselling techniques
Government staff will provide timely labour market information and connect job seekers with employment opportunities.
28 June 2024
JAKARTA (ILO News) - The capacity of Indonesia to implement national employment and labour market policies has been strengthened further through the training of 605 public employment services counsellors by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower.
As part of the three-tiered learning strategy co-designed by the ILO and the Secretariat of the Directorate General of Manpower Placement Development and Employment Opportunity Expansion of the Ministry of Manpower (SETDITJEN BINAPENTA KEMNAKER), a series of trainings was implemented across Indonesia from October 2023 to May 2024.
The capacity enhancing activities started with the preparation and dissemination of online training modules for self-paced learning. Based on, adapted and translated from the ILO manual “How to support a job seeker? Handbook for Employment and Career Development Counsellors”, the training modules covered topics such as general principles of counselling, analysis and diagnostic interview, career guidance and job search tools, including digital ones.
The individual learning was complemented by thematic webinars aimed at addressing real life scenarios and clarifications as required by over 600 employment counsellors across the country. In addition, dedicated elaboration on the provision of employment services to persons with disabilities was offered to address specific needs of vulnerable groups and ensure that no one is left behind.
Forty successful participants from the introductory online trainings were selected to become trainers for their peers and attended the in-person training of trainers in Jakarta in December 2023. The training combined technical and pedagogic elements, such as analysis of labour market information and allowed future trainers to test their teaching techniques and exchange with ILO experts on actual design of the roll out phase.
During the first half of 2024, the certified trainers replicated the capacity building activities at the provincial level benefitting so far 194 employment counsellors in Bogor, Bali, Surabaya, and Padang.
“The three-tiered training approach holds potential to address existing challenges in delivering public employment services across the country. Online training increases accessibility, reaching a broader audience and overcoming geographical barriers, ensuring a cost efficient and more inclusive approach to development of the skills of our counsellors,” said Indah Kurnia Lestari, Senior Officer of Employment Placement Service, Manpower Placement Development and Expansion of Job Opportunities, Ministry of Manpower, BINAPENTA.
“Furthermore, in-person sessions provide hands-on experience, allowing participants to apply theoretical knowledge in real world scenarios and enhancing practical skills crucial for effective public employment services. Lastly, provincial trainings, which are the final phase of the program, consider regional variations, tailoring content to address specific challenges and opportunities in different parts of the country while ensuring relevance and effectiveness,” she added.
Diego Rei, Employment Specialist at the ILO country office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste, further highlighted the significance of the three-tiered learning strategy for Public Employment Services (PES) counsellors.
"The training combines technical knowledge on counselling skills, with guidance on pedagogic techniques and student management. The overall goal is for trained counsellors to be able to provide more and better services and information, benefitting both job seekers and employers grappling with the challenge of finding a qualified workforce."
Rei also emphasized how successful approaches from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the People's Republic of China (MOHRSS), had been incorporated into the training programme and pointed out that dedicated thematic sessions, notably on management of labour migration are being designed for future spin-offs.
Dion Ruben Timotius, employment counsellor from Jakarta and participant of the three-tiered training programme said, “This training broadened my horizon of thinking. It gives me insights on what kinds of services I could give to people. For me, my favourite topic is digital tools as I considered those the best solution for reducing unemployment in Indonesia. Given the nature of the digital landscape, it could give access to people who have limited access to physical jobs.”
This training is an important component of the ILO’s China-funded project Promoting the Global Development Initiative with a Focus on South-South Cooperation in Employment in ASEAN. A key project goal is to improve the capacity of public employment services in South-East Asian countries.
For further information please contact:
Tarinee Youkhaw
Advocacy & Knowledge Management Officer
ILO ProSSCE-ASEAN project
Email: youkhaw@ilo.org
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