Indonesia Accelerates SMK Go Global Program to Meet Overseas Job Demand

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI) is accelerating the SMK Go Global Program by aligning training with overseas labor market needs. The program also ensures that participants have clear employment placement opportunities abroad.

Vice Minister of P2MI, Dzulfikar Ahmad Tawalla, made the statement during a consolidation meeting on the SMK Go Global Program with representatives of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Service Centers (BP3MI) in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi, held at the Adelina Sau Meeting Room on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

“Job orders (JOs) must be available first before participants are selected. The JOs must then be linked and matched with training locations and aligned with the available talent pool,” Dzulfikar said.

He affirmed that a demand-based approach is essential to implementing the SMK Go Global Program. Participants should not simply undergo training without a clear indication of labor demand in their destination countries.

“Implementation must be demand-driven. The labor requirements and JOs should be identified first, followed by the selection of training programs and participants,” he said.

During the meeting, the Vice Minister also emphasized that the SMK Go Global Program must ensure the integration of five key components: Right Talent, Right Training, Right Partner, Right Market, and Right Protection.

Right Talent ensures that participants have qualifications that match placement requirements. Right Training ensures participants receive appropriate training in terms of the institution, type of training, and facilities. Right Partner ensures the availability of clear placement partners connected to the placement process and the Indonesian Migrant Worker Recruitment Permit (SIP2MI).

Meanwhile, Right Market ensures that the competencies provided match the needs of labor markets and destination countries. Right Protection ensures that all aspects of the program—from participants and training to partners and placement—are integrated with the protection of Indonesian migrant workers.

“When selecting participants, we should avoid setting criteria that are too idealistic. Selection must consider their readiness to be deployed so that participants do not complete training but remain unprepared for the placement process,” Dzulfikar said.

KP2MI also stressed the importance of verifying SIP2MI permits and JOs before participants are selected. The data must be confirmed as active, not already filled, aligned with the relevant positions and destination countries, and available for allocation to SMK Go Global participants.

Director of Non-Government Placement with Legal Entity Employers at KP2MI Mocharom Ashadi had previously emphasized that JOs used in the program must genuinely be available and not already allocated to other prospective Indonesian migrant workers.

The Vice Minister called on all regions to accelerate the identification of labor demand, readiness of training institutions, participant selection, and placement preparations. “All parties are urged to accelerate the identification of labor demand, training institution readiness, participant selection, and placement preparations,” Dzulfikar said.