JAKARTA | INDATANEWS.COM - Indonesia's Ministry of Manpower is stepping up efforts to support the economic recovery of communities affected by the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) through vocational training programmes. Under the initiative 'Ministry of Manpower Helps in Disasters', the government is helping residents develop their skills, acquire competencies relevant to the labour market and regain their economic independence in the aftermath of the disaster.
The assistance comprises 40 training packages under the
National Vocational Training Programme (Program Pelatihan Vokasi Nasional, PVN) and 38 packages under the
Tailor Made Training (TMT) programme. Both initiatives are being implemented in various parts of East Nusa Tenggara, with training opportunities tailored to the needs of local communities and the economic potential of their respective regions.
The programmes focus not only on providing technical skills. The government also hopes that the competencies acquired will help residents return to work, explore business opportunities and strengthen their families' livelihoods during the post-disaster reconstruction process.
Sukro Muhab, Special Adviser to the Minister of Manpower, said the ministry was continuing to support disaster-affected communities by helping them develop vocational competencies and work-related skills. He said access to appropriate training opportunities could make an important contribution to improving the economic circumstances of those affected.
"The Ministry of Manpower is on the ground to support people affected by disasters by improving their competencies and skills. With qualifications that meet actual needs, they should be better prepared to return to employment or establish their own businesses," Sukro said, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Manpower's Press and Public Relations Bureau on Thursday, 8 October 2026.
Vocational Training Reaches Communities Across East Nusa Tenggara
The Ministry of Manpower is delivering part of its assistance through the National Vocational Training Programme, which comprises 40 training packages. These opportunities are distributed among the Regional Technical Implementation Units (UPTD) in districts across East Nusa Tenggara that fall under the ministry's authority.
The regional distribution of the programmes forms part of wider efforts to expand access to vocational training. By providing training facilities closer to local communities, the government aims to make skills development more accessible to people who need support to resume their economic activities.
Vocational training plays an important role in helping communities adapt to changing living conditions following a disaster. In addition to offering opportunities to acquire new skills, the courses can help participants better prepare for the demands of businesses and industry.
Qualifications that meet labour-market requirements can improve participants' employment prospects. For those seeking to establish or expand their own businesses, the training can also provide a foundation for developing productive economic activities based on their abilities and the resources available in their regions.
The programme's success therefore depends on more than the number of training packages offered. Equally important are the relevance of the course content, the needs of participants and the opportunities available to apply newly acquired skills in practice after completing the training. These factors are essential if the programme is to deliver lasting benefits.
STRENGTHENING THE SKILLS OF DISASTER-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES: Sukro Muhab, Special Adviser to the Minister of Manpower, explains how vocational training can help people affected by disasters improve their competencies, return to employment or establish their own businesses. (PHOTO: Ministry of Manpower Press and Public Relations Office/Kemnaker)
Tailor Made Training Targets Regional Economic Potential
Alongside the
National Vocational Training Programme, the Ministry of Manpower is offering its
Tailor Made Training (TMT) initiative. The courses are specifically designed around the needs of local communities and the economic potential of their respective regions. To date, the programme comprises 38 training packages distributed across East Nusa Tenggara.
Unlike general training courses, TMT allows the content to be more closely tailored to participants' actual circumstances and needs. This approach is intended to help them acquire skills directly linked to available employment opportunities or business ideas they can pursue independently.
This tailored approach is particularly important for post-disaster recovery, as social and economic conditions can vary from one region to another. Communities' training needs depend, among other factors, on the structure of the local economy, available resources and the economic opportunities within their surroundings.
Sukro Muhab, Special Adviser to the Minister of Manpower, stressed that the training must equip participants with skills they can put to practical use. The programmes should therefore do more than improve knowledge and technical abilities; they should also enable people to apply what they have learnt in their everyday lives.
"Training must go beyond improving skills. What matters is that the competencies acquired match the needs of the community and the potential of the region, so that they can be used to secure employment or establish a business independently," Sukro said.
His remarks underline the importance of linking vocational training with tangible economic opportunities. People need skills that enable them to meet employers' requirements, increase their productivity or develop their own business activities in line with the opportunities available in their regions.
By focusing on local needs, TMT is intended to help narrow the gap between the skills already available within communities and labour-market requirements. The programme also gives participants opportunities to develop alternative sources of income if their previous economic activities have been disrupted by the disaster.
TAILOR MADE TRAINING: The Ministry of Manpower's tailored training programme aligns course content with community needs and regional economic potential, enabling participants to apply their skills in employment and self-employment. Ministry of Manpower Press and Public Relations Office/Kemnaker)
Economic Recovery at the Heart of the Assistance
The Ministry of Manpower hopes the training opportunities will help people in East Nusa Tenggara recover from the earthquake and resume their economic activities independently. The government regards vocational skills development as an important form of assistance in strengthening communities' resilience to the effects of disasters.
Through 40 packages under the
National Vocational Training Programme and 38 under
Tailor Made Training, the ministry is providing a total of 78 training packages for communities in various parts of East Nusa Tenggara. Both programmes combine vocational skills development with an emphasis on local needs, helping participants prepare for employment or self-employment.
Developing vocational competencies is also important for medium- and long-term recovery. Following a disaster, communities need not only the restoration of infrastructure and their immediate surroundings, but also opportunities to rebuild their incomes and secure their families' financial stability.
In this context, vocational training can help strengthen communities' economic resilience. Skills development tailored to actual needs can enable people to take advantage of employment opportunities, establish productive businesses and reduce their long-term dependence on assistance.
The Ministry of Manpower hopes residents will take advantage of the available programmes to improve their skills and broaden their economic prospects. The government also emphasises that the competencies acquired must correspond to people's needs and the potential of their respective regions, ensuring that the positive effects of the training continue beyond the programmes themselves.
Through the 'Ministry of Manpower Helps in Disasters' initiative, the government aims to support the recovery of earthquake-affected communities in East Nusa Tenggara by strengthening human resources. The measures are intended to help residents return to productive activities, access employment opportunities and gradually regain their economic independence.
(IDNC)REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala