Cooperates with Vocational Schools to Prepare Workers

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State-owned train manufacturer PT Industri Kereta Api Indonesia (INKA) is cooperating with a number of vocational schools in Jember and Banyuwangi, East Java, to prepare workers to be employed in its new factory in Banyuwangi. At least 5,000 workers will be needed to produce train cars for export.

BANYUWANGI, KOMPAS — State-owned train manufacturer PT INKA is cooperating with a number of vocational schools in Jember and Banyuwangi, East Java, to prepare up to 5,000 workers to be employed in its new factory in Banyuwangi to produce train cars for export market.

The factory belonging to PT INKA in Banyuwangi, as an expansion of the old factory in Madiun, is billed to be the largest in Southeast Asia and is targeted to be completed in 2020.

"It is important for use to prepare the workforce so that when the plant construction is completed, the workforce will be ready," said PT INKA president director Budi Noviantoro during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between PT INKA and several vocational schools n Banyuwangi on Wednesday (17/7/2019).

A number of vocational schools have been appointed to provide special classes. Such vocational schools include SMK Cordova and SMK Negeri 1 Glagah in Banyuwangi and SMK Negeri 2 Jember.

PT INKA, Budi further said, also cooperated with the Madiun Polytechnic ,which has a railway department. Excellent students from the vocational schools will be recommended to get scholarships from PT INKA to study at the Madiun Polytechnic.

There is also the possibility for them to study to Denmark. Students who pass the selection will receive training for three months before finally officially becoming employees of PT INKA.

"We need vocational school graduates with industry specifications to make locomotives, freight train wagons and passenger train cars. From the needs of up to 5,000 workers, 70 percent are expected to come from Banyuwangi and its surrounding areas," Budi said.

According to the principal of SMK Negeri 1 Glagah Banyuwangi Panuri, they have prepared a special class on railways for the 2019/2020 school year. The special class students will only be selected on 26 July 2019.

The railway special class has a curriculum, teachers, teaching aids, and learning system that are different from the general class. The learning system will be adjusted to railroad industry standards.

"From now on, we will make them to get used to the condition and work system in the railroad industry. This means that they are expected to be really ready to jump into the railroad industry," he said. State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno, who was present at the signing of the MoU, warmly welcomed PT INKA\'s efforts to cooperate with the SMKs. This is a good work where SOEs can really absorb SMK graduates.

The SOEs not only provide tuition assistance but also educational facilities and infrastructure so the student can grow with the SMKs.

Industryi fork export

PT INKA’s new factory in Banyuwangi is being built on a 83 hectare plot of land, a former sugar cane plantation owned by PT Perkebunan Nusantara. The factory will be equipped with an office complex and train museum with traditional Osing housing architecture.

The factory, which is developed by PT INKA and two foreign companies, namely PT Stadler from Switzerland and Progress Rail from the United States, has an investment value of Rp 1.6 trillion. In the initial stage, the funds being invested will reach Rp 600 billion.

The new factory will be more productive than PT INKA’s factory in Madiun. The factory in Madiun can only produce one train per day, while the one in Banyuwangi can produce up to two train cars per day or 500 train cars per year.

One specialization of factory products in Banyuwangi is the electric train multiple unit (EMU). The train is made of aluminum resembling the electric rail train in Great Jakarta.

PT INKA’s factory in Banyuwangi will focus on producing train cars for exports, while the one in Madiun is to meet the needs of the domestic market.

The existence of a train factory in Banyuwangi is considered more efficient than in Madiun. The train to be exported from the factory in Madiun must be shipped via the Port of Tanjung Perak, Surabaya.

In Banyuwangi, PT INKA’s factory is being built near Tanjung Wangi Port.

The location of the PT INKA’s factory in Banyuwangi is only about 7 kilometers from Tanjung Wangi Port, much closer than the distance between Madiun and Surabaya, which covers 165 km. (GER)

Editor:

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