Indonesia Pushes Workforce Skills to Navigate Future of Work

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is intensifying efforts to strengthen workforce skills as rapid advances in digital technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and the green economy reshape the future of work. The government views competency development as a critical strategy to ensure Indonesian workers remain competitive in an increasingly dynamic global labor market.

Speaking at the opening of the ASEAN Leader: Dream, Lead, Inspire event at the Ministry of Manpower’s Vocational Training Building in Jakarta on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, Vice Minister of Manpower, Afriansyah Noor, said the transformation of the labor market has fundamentally changed the skills demanded by employers. He noted that technological disruption has also created new occupations that require more adaptive and specialized competencies.

He said these developments have widened the gap between the skills available in the labor force and the evolving needs of industry. “In this context, active labor market policies play a very vital role. These policies must serve as a bridge to align the mismatch between labor supply and the dynamic needs of industry,” he said.

To address the challenge, the Vice Minister outlined five priorities that should be accelerated through joint efforts. These include expanding industry-based reskilling and upskilling programs, creating a more inclusive labor market, strengthening social dialogue and multi-stakeholder collaboration, modernizing employment services through career guidance and digital labor market information, and reinforcing employment programs that support job seekers and entrepreneurship.

Afriansyah further conveyed these measures are designed to equip Indonesian workers with competencies that match industry demand while enabling them to seize opportunities created by technological and economic transformation. He said workforce readiness would be essential to maintaining national competitiveness in the years ahead.

The Ministry of Manpower is also expanding bilateral, regional, and multilateral cooperation to enhance the quality and competitiveness of Indonesia’s workforce. The partnerships are expected to facilitate knowledge exchange, policy coordination, and workforce development initiatives across borders.

As the focal point of the ASEAN Labour Ministers Meeting (ALMM), Indonesia continues to coordinate regional labor cooperation and contribute to the formulation of strategic policy frameworks. These include the ASEAN Declaration on Promoting Competitiveness, Resilience and Agility of Workers for the Future of Work and the ASEAN Labour Ministers' Statement on the Future of Work.

Afriansyah underscored that effective policies must be supported by transformational leadership capable of responding to rapid changes in the workplace. “Regulations on paper alone will never be enough without transformative leadership. The future of work demands leaders who are not only technologically capable but also possess empathy, agility, and a vision that inspires change within their organizations,” he said.