UNDIP, Batang (July 8, 2025) – Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) took part in the Resilience Program for the Future of Industry (Program Resiliensi untuk Industri Masa Depan / PRIMA), an initiative led by the Batang Industropolis Special Economic Zone (KEK Industropolis) held from June 30 to July 4, 2025. The program serves as a strategic bridge between vocational education and real-world industrial demands.
A total of 130 students from five leading vocational high schools (SMK) in Batang Regency actively participated in the program. The participating schools were SMK Negeri 1 Warungasem, SMK Ma’arif NU Limpung, SMK PGRI Batang, SMK Diponegoro Banyuputih, and SMK Sekar Bumi Nusantara.
PRIMA was designed through a collaborative effort between KEK Industropolis Batang via PT Kawasan Industri Terpadu Batang (KITB), UNDIP’s Faculty of Psychology, professional trainers, and experienced facilitators. The program’s core goal is to develop human resources (HR) that are resilient, adaptive, and globally competitive—especially for vocational graduates entering the workforce.
Acting Regional Secretary of Batang Regency, Sri Purwaningsih, expressed her appreciation for the initiative. She emphasized the importance of early character development, work ethics, and discipline as key investments in the future of Batang’s youth.
“The aim is to prepare young people—both men and women—to become job-ready. With KITB and incoming investors in Batang, we need a strong labor force. If we don’t start now, we’ll fall behind,” she said.
Meanwhile, PT KITB Corporate Secretary General Manager M. Burhan Murtaki emphasized that PRIMA is a real example of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and a bridge between education and the industrial sector.
“Our goal is to link and match industrial players in the region with the skills of Batang’s youth. Through PRIMA, they are equipped to become competitive and adaptive workers,” he explained.
“This program is not just a short-term training—it’s a concrete manifestation of Industropolis Batang’s commitment to developing excellent human resources by integrating character education, technical skills, and direct industrial knowledge,” Burhan added.
A key strength of PRIMA is the direct involvement of major industrial tenants already operating in Industropolis Batang, including Unipack Plasindo, KCC Glass, Yih Quan Footwear Indonesia, and Wavin. Throughout the program, students received training in self-potential awareness and development, industrial work culture, leadership, communication techniques, negotiation and decision-making through outbound activities, and resume writing, all of which were evaluated by industry professionals.
Beyond classroom learning, participants also experienced real-world industrial environments through site visits to the Unipack factory and utility facilities at KITB, including the Water Treatment Plant (IPA) and Wastewater Treatment Plant (IPAL).
The program also integrated physical and discipline training such as fitness, marching drills, and mental resilience activities to instill agility, alertness, work ethic, and core industrial values such as respect, strong work motivation, and character. These are essential attributes for shaping SMK PRIMA graduates who are ready to face the challenges of the Industrial Revolution 5.0.
As an academic partner, UNDIP’s Faculty of Psychology played a vital role in designing resilience and character development modules contextualized for today’s and tomorrow’s industrial workplaces, using practical psychological approaches.
“We believe the best investment for the future of the industry is a generation of youth shaped with mental toughness, strong knowledge, and outstanding character. PRIMA is a first step toward creating Indonesia’s top-tier talent—starting from Batang,” concluded M. Burhan.
UNDIP’s participation in PRIMA reflects the university’s vision as a higher education institution actively building strategic partnerships and contributing to the development of quality, dignified, and impactful human resources for Indonesia. (Public Communication/ UNDIP/ DHW)