inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Minister of Manpower Yassierli stated that the government continues to strengthen the labor market so that workforce competencies increasingly align with industry needs.

In his statement, Yassierli stated that this step was taken to address the gap between workforce skills and the evolving needs of the business world.

"What the job market is currently seeking is skills, and I believe that ‘skills first’ is one of the keys to remaining competitive," Yassierli said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

According to the Minister of Manpower, industrial needs are changing rapidly, while the availability of workers with the appropriate skills is still unable to keep pace. This situation is causing many companies to struggle to obtain the workforce they need.

He revealed that more than 80 percent of companies in various countries still experience difficulty finding workers with skills that meet industry needs.

On the other hand, around 36 percent of workers experience mismatch, a condition where their competencies do not match job requirements.

"The reality on the ground proves that formal education and academic qualifications on paper are no longer an absolute guarantee of a person's actual competence," he said.

To address these challenges, the government is committed to shifting from the old model to a skills-based labor market, an approach that prioritizes competency as a primary consideration in the recruitment and workforce development process.

He explained that, referring to the perspective of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), this competency-based approach is built through two main steps.

First, strengthening skills development through modular learning and micro-credentials as evidence of more specific competencies.

Second, expanding recognition of existing skills through the Prior Learning Recognition system, while encouraging companies to implement recruitment strategies that prioritize skills over academic qualifications.

He hopes that collaboration between the government and the business world can accelerate the creation of a job market that matches industry needs with workforce competencies, thereby increasing national competitiveness and strengthening economic resilience amidst global fragmentation.

(ad/inp/pr/rs)