The National
Professional Certification Board (BNSP) will perform professional certification
in facing competition of the workers in the ASEAN region within the framework
of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) starting later this year. According to
BNSP, certification program covers 12 sectors, seven sectors in agro products,
rubber, timber and other forest products, and the other 5 sector are in the
area of services, i.e. logistics, health, tourism, air transportation, and
communication & information.
Chairman of BNSP Sumarno F.
Abdurahman, in Jakarta, (September 10), stated that from 12 priority sector,
only one whose competence certificate has been recognized in ASEAN, namely
tourism. While other strategic sector particularly product sector, have not
been built, for example, agro and timber sectors.”This condition is considered
very alarming”, he said.
Therefore, BNSP made a break trough
by adopting competency standards of Australia. According to Sumarna, Australia
has issued an official an official letter from the department of education and
training that BNSP is allowed to adopt competency standards for 12 priority
sector of ASEAN. According to him, Indonesia is late compared to other
countries. In the Philippines, there are now 600.000 certified workers for
tourism.
Sumarno said that government is also
exploring to implement Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA) with three countries
in the ASEAN region, namely Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Currently,
Indonesia and other ASEAN countries have performed a deal of recognition in
eight sectors, namely accounting service, engineering workers, surveyors,
architects, nursing personal, medical personnel, dental care, and tourism.
The Indonesia government, said
Sumarno, plans to add MRA in other sectors i.e. sectors which become priorities
of the government in the AEC, namely logistic, aviation service, workers in
fisheries and agriculture sector as well as wood & rubber. Meanwhile, ASEAN
counties have agreed to harmonies standardization in the sectors, but they are
not willing to perfume MRA.
Meanwhile, as part of the readiness
of the competition, BNSP proposed to the Ministry of Labor to implement mandatory
training for the entire work force in the country. Sumarno said that mandatory
training is required to provide education and training to the young work force
that to be ready to enter the job market. He added that the mandatory training
program will focus on targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially
export-oriented ones. So far, SME entrepreneurs have not had the skill to
market their products.
Not only SMEs, according to Sumarno,
BNSP also proposes tax relief incentives to industries that hire certified
workers. He said that during this time, the industrial sector fear that in
hiring certified workers will demand higher pay.
Such tax incentives have been
introduced in the 1990s, but did not go smoothly. BNSP prepares another solution.
The second is to give grants to industry associations so they will create
competency standards.
He reminded the certification is
very important to improve the competitiveness of Indonesian workers in the
international arena, particularly in relation to the standard harmonization
with ASEAN countries are able to compete. (E).
Business New - September 16, 2015
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