Bogor – Facing global competition and the challenges of the industrial revolution 4.0, it is necessary to encourage links and matches between vocational education and the industrial world. This can be realized through the formulation of curricula and joint research with industry, commitment to absorbing graduates and strengthening the teaching and learning facilities.
As a commitment to support the government’s efforts to develop vocational education, Astra and Sinar Mas partnered with Diponegoro University to build the Undip Vocational School Building.
The UNDIP Vocational School Building, which is a grant from Astra and Sinar Mas, was inaugurated by the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo on Wednesday (26/8/2020). The event was held online from the Bogor Palace. In his remarks, President Joko Widodo said that by 2030 Indonesia will receive a demographic bonus. “For that we must prepare workers who are ready to work and reliable according to market needs”, he said. “The role of industry is very much needed, not only helping building facilities, but also preparing apprenticeship programs for Vocational school students,” he said.
“Vocational school is one of the strategies we hope to improve the quality of Indonesia’s human resources. Therefore, the synergy between Diponegoro University as an institution that organizes world-quality higher education, in collaboration with industry is part of our efforts to improve the quality of our human resources who are truly reliable and work worthy at the national and global levels, ” said Undip Rector Prof. Yos Johan Utama, SH., M.Hum in his speech at the inauguration of the Undip Vocational School building.
“Astra also supports vocational education programs at the secondary school and college levels. To date, the Astra Group has coached 2,813 SMK in the form of link and match development between SMK and industry, field work practices, curriculum development and educational infrastructure. Astra, through the Astra Manufacturing Polytechnic adopting the German Dual System vocational education system, has graduated 3,470 Technical Associate Experts who have contributed to the development of industry in Indonesia. Astra’s support is in line with Astra’s aspirations to prosper with the nation,” said Astra President Director Djony Bunarto Tjondro.
“The need for human resources with a vocational education background is actually high. However, the quantity of the vocational workforce is indeed limited, and those who have the ability to meet industrial needs are even fewer in number. Partnerships like this can be a solution to bridge our needs,” said Sinar Mas Managing Director G. Sulistiyanto during the virtual inauguration. He considered the existence of this campus as a symbol of the commitment of the academic community in responding to the challenges of the times, in an environment that is environmental and energy friendly, as well as humanist.
The Vocational School Building began to be built on March 12, 2019, standing on an area of 4,900 square meters. It is designed to meet the needs of various rooms in the teaching and learning process of vocational education, including lecture rooms with 4.0 technology such as digital class rooms, video conferences, MOOC (Massive Online Open Course) lecture production studios, digital library and archive rooms, as well as laboratories.
There is also a room for a Professional Certification Institute (LSP) and a Vocational Development Center (VDC). These two LSP and VDC units prepare Undip Vocational School graduates to be truly work-ready. Among the spaces that are also very beneficial is the entrepreneurship lounge in collaboration with Undip and GK Plug and Play as one of the global accelerators, thus adding more value to the birth of new young businessmen.
The Vocational School Building consists of 4 floors, certified as international green building from the Green Building Council. As a green building, this building is equipped with solar panels on the roof that can supply 25 KVA of power for the building’s electricity supply. The existence of this solar panel can also be used as a teaching industry in the field of renewable energy. The building is also equipped with a water recycle system, environmentally friendly building materials, bio-pores for rainwater infiltration, and a design with adequate lighting and ventilation resulting to energy efficient.
Undip Vocational School has a vision to become a center for superior vocational education with international standards, with the tagline “Time for Vocational Education to Become a Champion”. There are 11 applied undergraduate study programs incorporated in 4 Departments, namely the Department of Industrial Technology, the Department of Civil and Planning, the Department of Information and Culture, as well as the Department of Business and Finance. With the number of students reaching up to 7,000 people who will utilize the various existing facilities in this new building. The Building Grant from Astra and Sinar Mas is a concrete manifestation of the strong link and match between the campus and the industry in order to face global competition and the presence of the industrial revolution 4.0.
* Photo documentation by the Presidential Secretariat Press Media and Information Bureau.
