Vocational students seek jobs in Japan

Hundreds of vocational students in Greater Jakarta are looking for opportunities to work overseas, and Japan is one of the countries they are targeting.

“They are prepared to work when they complete their education,” Japan Foundation chief program officer Apin Supinah said on the sidelines of a talk show event in South Jakarta on Wednesday.

At the talk show, about 130 students from 30 vocational high schools discussed job opportunities in Japan in the hospitality, tourism, automotive and engineering sectors. “The students were more interested in the automotive and engineering sectors,” Apin said.

The Japan Foundation has held the talk show annually since 2003 to promote the study of Japanese to high school and vocational high school students. “We are showing the students real experiences that they will face by the time they graduate. The schools provide them with theories; but we teach what their schools do not.”

Earlier this month, the foundation invited officials of the Japanese Embassy to discuss opportunities
to study in Japan with students of local high schools and Islamic boarding schools.

“We expect that after joining the discussion and talk show, the students will realize the importance of studying the Japanese language. It will add to their value when they apply for work,” Apin said.

A participant at Wednesday’s talk show, Ridho Epopratama, 16, a first-grade student at SMK PGRI Rawa Lembo, Bekasi, said that the talk show motivated him and other participants to better study Japanese language and culture for their own benefits. “It was so motivational. I have learned a lot about the Japanese language and culture. I hope I can be as disciplined as Japanese people are,” Ridho said.

He said that after completing his education at his vocational high school, he wanted to look for a job in Japan or work for a Japanese company operating in Indonesia.

Speaker Ignatius Hotman said at the talk show that language skills were required for working in multinational companies.

“Vocational high school graduates need at least three basic skills: foreign language, information technology and basic knowledge, in order to compete with other job seekers,” he said. (riz)

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