Government Oversees the Transition of Graduates into the Professional World Through the National Internship Program
By: Citra Kurnia Khudori)*
The transition from education to the world of work is often the most decisive phase for university graduates. Without sufficient work experience, many graduates face a gap between academic competencies and the real needs of industry.
This situation has encouraged the state to take a more active role in overseeing the transition of young generations into the professional world. One strategic measure that continues to be strengthened is the National Internship Program, designed as an initial bridge into employment.
The National Internship Program has once again been emphasized as an important state instrument in guiding the transition of graduates from education into professional life. This commitment was reflected in a visit by Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya together with Minister of Manpower Yassierli to a program implementation site, demonstrating the government’s direct attention to the readiness of young workers.
This step shows the seriousness of the state in ensuring that university graduates do not stop at obtaining a diploma alone, but also gain relevant work experience. Through the National Internship Program, the government seeks to bridge the gap between the education sector and the ever-evolving needs of industry.
Teddy emphasized that participants in the 2025 National Internship Program will gain many benefits. Among them are work experience and practical skills, as well as direct mentoring and training from mentors at partner companies.
Within the program, the government also ensures that the efforts of internship participants are properly compensated. Participants receive allowances or salaries adjusted to the local City/Regency Minimum Wage at the internship location, along with opportunities to build a professional track record in national companies.
Teddy stated that the internship program is designed to reduce unemployment while strengthening the competencies of university graduates in line with industry needs.
In addition, Teddy conveyed that internship experience in national companies will serve as valuable preparation when participants graduate and enter the workforce as professionals. For example, at Paragon, more than 175 National Internship participants from the Ministry of Manpower have been working for two months.
Testimonials from Paragon’s leadership have been quite positive, noting that the interns adapt very quickly, demonstrate creative innovation in line with current developments, and contribute to increased productivity as well as customer demand.
With this program, new graduates or fresh graduates can compete for entry-level jobs. Companies also benefit by receiving interns whose costs are covered by the government.
This internship program provides a real learning environment for participants to become familiar with professional work culture from an early stage. They are trained not only technically, but also in work ethics, time discipline, and communication patterns within an industrial setting.
The presence of mentors from partner companies further strengthens the quality of participants’ learning. This direct guidance ensures that the internship process is not merely a formality, but truly a competency-building process.
The government views early work experience as a crucial asset for university graduates. With such experience, internship participants gain a competitive advantage in an increasingly competitive labor market.
Synergy between the government and the business sector is also a key factor in the success of this program. Industry gains adaptive young talent, while the state ensures that the process of preparing human resources is more structured and effective.
The 2025 National Internship Program was participated in by 100,000 individuals. In 2026, the government will again open internship opportunities for the same number of participants, with registration opening in mid-year. This was affirmed by Minister of Manpower Yassierli on the same occasion as Cabinet Secretary Teddy.
Yassierli stated that internship programs are an important instrument in preparing a competent and competitive workforce for the long term. He further expressed hope that opportunities for university graduates to join internship programs will continue to expand along with the growing number of partner organizations.
The continuity of the National Internship Program demonstrates the government’s seriousness in preparing the future workforce. This effort also underscores that human resource development cannot be postponed.
Through a collaborative approach, the internship program serves as a bridge between the academic environment and the needs of the professional world. Graduates are no longer released without direction, but are guided throughout the transition period.
This initiative also highlights the active role of the state in reducing educated unemployment. With relevant work experience, graduates have a greater chance of being absorbed into the labor market.
Going forward, the National Internship Program is expected to continue expanding and strengthening. In this way, the transition of graduates into the professional world will no longer be a challenge, but an opportunity to build a competent and competitive Indonesian workforce. Moreover, the internship program is expected to become a gateway for the emergence of a generation of Indonesian workers who are skilled, adaptive, and ready to face future challenges.
)* Observer of socio-economic issues
