Routes to success for youth through digital skills and apprenticeship
The ILO's digital skills training and apprenticeship programmes have provided two young Indonesians with a better opportunity for skilled jobs in animation industry.Rio Syahputra, 23 years old and Mohammad Syarif Hidayatulloh. 20 years old, are busy developing their portfolios. Both of them were graduates of the ILO's motion graphics training programme in 2021, jointly conducted with the Ministry of Manpower's Public Vocational Training Centre (BBVP) Bekasi.
"Which companies have you applied? I am uploading my portfolio right now. This is a company that I was told you opening many vacancies," displayed Rio to Syarif while working on graphics that he plans to submit together with his resume.
Syarif responded to the question by showing his portfolio—an animation of a car. “Let me see. Wow, that’s a cool portfolio,” exclaimed Rio.
Their skills and expertise are not only the results of the skills training programme. Their digital skills were strengthened from their working experiences gained during the apprenticeship programme in animation companies conducted early this year.
After the training, both Rio and Syarief continued to join the apprenticeship programme, jointly conducted by the ILO and the Association of Indonesian Animation Industry (AINAKI). Rio had an opportunity to do his apprenticeship programme at an animation company of Cyber Media Centre, while Syarief was accepted at Castle Production.
“During my apprenticeship, I learned about 3D modeling, how to utilize Blender software and how to utilize substance painter to give texture to the animation,” shared Rio. From the technical aspects, Syarief also learnt similar software and technical skills.
What Rio and Syarief valued the most from their apprenticeship programme was the opportunity to strengthen and expand their soft skills. “I learned how to socialize, have working relationships and communication skills with colleagues and supervisors,” shared Syarief.
Meanwhile Rio learnt about how to work in team. “Specifically with supervisors, I learned how to discuss my animation with them and revisions that should be made. These showed that all of us worked together.”
For Rio and Syarief, the apprenticeship programme had strengthened and enhanced their digital skills and knowledge about industrial-standard software in motion graphic. They also hoped that the new skills and working experiences that they gained during the apprenticeship programme could help them build a strong portfolio and find a good job opportunity.
“I want to focus on developing my 3D modelling skills so that it expands my opportunity to work in some companies in Indonesia,” said Rio hoping to make his parents proud and to help financing the education of his younger siblings.
A same hopeful dream was also shared by Syarief. He hoped that his upgraded skills and apprenticeship experience could help him realize his dream to be a movie producer.
“Becoming a 3D modeler is only the first step to enter the creative industry. This is the first stair I take to continue climbing to the top. I also hope to be successful so I can support my family financially,” Syarief uttered.
Hirania Wiryasti, ILO’s programme officer for digital skills and distance learning, highlighted that the ILO's approach to quality digital skills and distance learning development is to align with industry’s needs and to involve the industry from start to finish by focusing on information and communication technology sector.
According to Hirania, to understand the needs of the industry, the first step taken by the ILO was to analyze 500 job vacancies in the ICT sector, followed by the second step to develop digital skills training courses with the involvement of the industry by selecting two out of top five digital skills most sought after by the industries: Motion Graphics and Computer Networks.
“For the third step, we improve the quality of human resources of the training institutions, followed by the fourth step of implementing the training courses with the participation of the industries through sessions delivered by practitioners and professionals,” stated Hirania, adding that the concluding step was evaluation for improvements.
She also encouraged youth to take skills training course into their consideration when thinking about their dreamt jobs. “A skills training course is the first step that can be taken to have strengthened skills and have a future vision for the next steps to get a decent job,” she concluded.
Based on their own experiences, Rio and Syarief want to inspire other youth about the importance of skills training and apprenticeship programme. “Through a skills training programme, we can learn about new skills that are useful for our future,” encouraged Rio, while Syarief added that “The apprenticeship programme provides me with a real working experience using industry-standard software.”
