On Thursday, June 20, 2024, an important step was taken to address the talent needs in the data center industry in Indonesia. Nusantara Data Center Academy (NDCA) signed a Cooperation Agreement with the ATMI Cikarang Industrial Polytechnic.

This agreement is not only a step forward for both institutions, but also reflects a commitment to the development of vocational education in the country, with the hope of creating students who are ready to work and can meet the demands of the rapidly growing data center industry.

Visi dan Tujuan Kerjasama

This collaboration is driven by the need to create a skilled and work-ready workforce in the data center industry. In his speech, Romo T. Agus Sriyono SJ, Director of the ATMI Cikarang Industrial Polytechnic, emphasized the importance of education that can change a person’s life.

According to him, a good job not only provides benefits for individuals, but also for families and the nation. This is in line with the goal of this collaboration to produce graduates who can be immediately absorbed in the job market, especially in the data center sector.

Unemployment Conditions in Bekasi

This collaboration also responds to the challenges faced by the local area. Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the unemployment rate in Bekasi Regency reached 8.87% and in Bekasi City it was 7.90%. This figure is quite high when compared to other cities or regencies in West Java Province.

With this collaboration program, it is hoped that graduates of the ATMI Cikarang Industrial Polytechnic can contribute to reducing the unemployment rate, as well as improving their welfare through decent work in the data center industry.

The Role of Vocational Education

One of the issues highlighted in the signing ceremony was the public perception of vocational education. Romo Agus emphasized that vocational education is often considered as second-class education, which is only attended by those who are considered naughty, less capable, or less intelligent.

He stated that this perception must be changed because vocational education actually offers great opportunities for those who want to gain practical skills and immediately enter the world of work.

This is in line with the values ​​integrated in the ATMI Cikarang Industrial Polytechnic, namely 4C + 1L (Competence, Consience, Compassion and Commitment & Leadership) in the education curriculum, where this can shape the character of students who are not only competent, but can also have an impact on society.

The Importance of Vocational Education

Erick Hadi, Founder of NDCA, added an international perspective by mentioning that in Europe, vocational education is highly valued. Vocational education there is not a last resort but is a respected and quite popular educational path. This shows that vocational education has an important place in the education system and is considered a main pillar in preparing skilled workers.

Erick Hadi hopes that this collaboration can change the negative perception of vocational education in Indonesia and help create a more inclusive and adaptive educational ecosystem to industry needs.

Empowering Students Through Creative Projects

During the signing ceremony, the NDCA delegation visited the ATMI Cikarang Industrial Polytechnic campus and learned how the institution strives to shape students’ characters through creative projects. One example is the encouragement to produce creative works from plastic waste, such as bottle caps.

This activity not only teaches students to care about the environment but also develops their creativity. Products produced from this project can be sold and the proceeds are used for scholarships for their friends. In addition, students are also encouraged to create products, where the educational method taught is Production Based Education and Training (PBET).

This approach teaches students to have a positive impact on society from their college days, a very valuable added value when they later enter the world of work.

Appreciation to Microsoft

We would like to thank Microsoft for supporting the implementation of this data center vocational academy program.

Conclusion

The signing of the Cooperation Agreement between Nusantara Data Center Academy and ATMI Cikarang Industrial Polytechnic is an important step in answering the needs of the data center industry in Indonesia. With a focus on developing practical skills, character education, and partnerships with industry, this program is expected to produce graduates who are ready to work and able to compete in the job market.

This collaboration also contributes to reducing unemployment and raising awareness of the importance of vocational education. With various initiatives planned for program development, this collaboration is expected to provide a sustainable positive impact for students, institutions, and the data center industry in Indonesia.