PONTIANAK - Indonesia aims to prepare at least 100,000 people with disabilities to enter the workforce through government-backed training and skills development, Manpower Minister Yassierli said on Aug. 18.
Yassierli announced the target in virtual remarks at the launch of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan’s Beneficiary Economic Empowerment and Independence Program, known as PEKA. He said the government is establishing a vocational training center for people with disabilities in Bekasi, West Java, and developing specialized modules to equip participants with job-ready skills.
Earlier this month, Yassierli highlighted a Kendari initiative in Southeast Sulawesi where 40 people with disabilities were undergoing orientation and training before planned placement in the light industry.
Yassierli said expanding opportunities would require cooperation among the central government, regional governments, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, banks and other stakeholders to widen access to jobs and support greater economic independence.
He described the broader effort as part of the government’s commitment to improving people’s livelihoods. “Our commitment is to put the nation’s interests first. Our joy lies in helping lead people to a better place,” Yassierli said.
The employment goal, he said, was to ensure people with disabilities are judged by their skills. “We want them to enter the workforce because of their competence, not because of pity.”