Indonesia’s manpower minister urges skills push to help workers adapt to AI disruption

Indonesia’s Manpower Minister Yassierli has underscored the urgent need to strengthen workforce skills as a primary strategy to help workers navigate disruption from artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.

In a statement on February 23, Yassierli stressed that collaboration and inclusivity must guide the country’s response to technological change. 

“I am confident that with togetherness and collaboration, we are ready to face this change. Our spirit at the Ministry of Manpower is to welcome it with the principle of inclusivity, namely no one left behind. No change or disruption in the industry should leave workers left behind, laid off, or marginalized. That must not happen,” he said.

The minister warned that industry transformation must not result in workers being displaced, laid off, or marginalized, emphasizing that the “no one left behind” principle must translate into concrete action rather than remain a slogan.

To that end, the Ministry of Manpower of Indonesia has invited labour unions to partner on upskilling and reskilling initiatives aimed at improving workforce readiness for industrial shifts.

Yassierli noted that the ministry trained 700 productivity experts last year and delivered occupational safety and health (OSH) programmes at more than 63 locations involving union representatives, "We will continue to implement this program," he said.

He also encouraged unions to actively leverage the ministry’s 42 training centres nationwide as hubs for competency development.

Looking ahead, the minister highlighted upskilling and reskilling as essential to meeting evolving industry demands and pointed to the development of green jobs as a key priority in Indonesia’s transition to a green economy. "the Indonesian workforce must be prepared with new, relevant characters and competencies through concrete and measurable steps," the Minister said.