Suhendar, Workshop to Accommodate the Unemployed

Budi Suwarna

· 6 minutes read

Since 2010, the Gemari motorcycle workshop has given hope to a number of young people in Klapanunggal district of Bogor regency, West Java. They hope to escape unemployment. One of them, Suhendar, now continues Gemari’s mission to impart automotive on people of the district.

The Gemari motorcycle workshop stands alone on the roadside in Kampung Tangkil, Bantarjati village, Klapanunggal. Gemari -- short for Mandiri Community Movement -- consists of two large buildings, one for servicing motorbikes, the other for training and meetings.

On Monday (24/6/2019) afternoon, the workshop was quiet. Only three students of Vocational High School SMK Bina Mandiri Sejahtera were undergoing training. In the midst of hot air, the three students learned techniques to properly wash motorbikes. After that, they were busy repairing a motorcycle engine under the guidance of Suhendar and another instructor.

The thin man explained that, besides vocational school students, the Gemari workshop also recruited trainees from 12 villages of Klapanunggal district. Generally, the participants arrive without even basic automotive knowledge. Therefore, the training begins with the most basic things, such as an introduction to tools and machines and to the way engines work, until finally getting down to repairing damaged engines.

"Learning from scratch means participants do funny things sometimes. One time, for example, I asked participants to take cutting pliers and was given the cut pliers," recalled Suhendar, laughing. There were also participants who were very excited to play around with a spark plug. Instead of being installed, the spark plug was broken. Suhendar and the other instructors usually have understanding for such mistakes. To them, what is important is that the participants are enthusiastic about learning skills for work.

Social mission

The training program provided by the Gemari workshop, continued Suhendar, did have a social mission, namely to reduce unemployment in Klapanunggal. Therefore, Gemari targets unemployed young people. "Most of them are school dropouts aged 16 years and above," Suhendar explained.

To attend training for three months, participants are not charged. They even get around Rp 600,000 in transportation money, which is taken from the workshop cash.

Since 2010, more than 100 young people have been trained. Some of them now run motorcycle workshops in their respective villages. Others are employed with automotive companies or public workshops.

"They still keep in touch with each other, exchanging information or doing work together," he said.

Suhendar is confident that, if school dropouts and the unemployed are given the opportunity, they can certainly make progress and become independent. "I experienced it myself. I used to be unemployed or working odd jobs. Now, I have a permanent job," he said.

The Gemari workshop was founded in 2010 by Syarif, Dedi Ahmadi and several other young people in Klapanunggal district, who were already independent thanks to the creative industries, such as making crafts from wood waste or other waste. The idea from the outset was that the workshop would train unemployed young people.

And that idea was supported by PT Indocement through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program. The company was willing to provide a place for the workshop, work equipment and initial training. In 2013, Suhendar became interested in the workshop’s program. The vocational school graduates also became engaged in managing the workshop. Despite his automotive skills, he had to take care of the administration. "I do everything, including the office boy\'s work," said the SMK graduate majoring in mechanical engineering.

While working, Suhendar improved his automotive skills in the workshop. He stepped forward and finally became one of its most prominent instructors. He was sent several times to join mechanic instructor competitions and was named champion at the Bogor city level and the West Java provincial level. In 2018, he represented West Java in the national level instructor competition.

"I was the only participant who had graduated from SMK. The other participants were graduates from well-known universities. [Praise be to Allah], I entered the top five," said Suhendar, who holds a level 2 certificate.

Since participating in the competitions, he has been asked to hold training workshops in several regions and at numerous institutions. "Previously, I had been in Bogor for a long time. Now I can go everywhere and teach at institutions or foundations," he added.

In 2017, Suhendar was appointed to manage programs at the Gemari workshop. In Suhendar\'s hands, the workshop collaborated with other parties, from the Bogor regency government and foundations to private companies and schools. Thanks to this collaboration, the Gemari workshop can hold a workshop competency exam for course participants, including young people from other regions of Bogor.

From each competency test, the Gemari workshop receives a net income of around Rp 5 million. Other income comes from motorcycle repair services at an average of Rp 3 million per month. Moreover, there is income from teaching allowances received by Gemari instructors from outside parties.

"That money is managed to operate the workshop and run the program," said Suhendar.

Previously, he said, the income from motorcycle repair services could reach Rp 15 million per month, because several companies entrusted the repair of their motorbike fleet to the Gemari workshop. "Now we are looking for companies that want to be our customers," he added.

Moreover, Suhendar and his friends at Gemari are pioneering a new business, namely establishing an online workshop. The consideration is that many training alumni are scattered in villages across the

region. "We want to unite them, encourage them to make a joint venture. Because that\'s our passion for a long time, building an independent community movement," said Suhendar.

Suhendar

Born: Bogor, Aug. 17, 1987

Wife: Yuli Yanah

Children: R Alghifari Abdillah, Cilla

Education:

- SD Lulut 02 Klapanunggal elementary school, Bogor regency (graduated in 2000)

- SLTP Bantarjati junior high school, Bogor regency (2003)

- SMK Budiniah vocational school, Cireureup district, Bogor regency (2006)

Achievement/Awards:

- Local Hero Initiating Gemari from Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa (2016)

- Champion as Motorcycle Automotive Instructor, Bogor city (2017 and 2018)

- Champion as Motorcycle Automotive Instructor, West Java (2017)

- Runner-up as Motorcycle Automotive Instructor, West Java (2018)

- Representing West Java at national competition for motorcycle automotive instructors

Editor:

kompascetak