Starting a New Series, IPB University Discusses Strategies for Increasing the Labor Force in the Agromaritime Sector
IPB University through the Council of Professors (DGB) continued the webinar series entitled ‘Strategies for Increasing the Labor Force in the Agromaritime Sector’ on Wednesday (21/8). The first series of discussions examined challenges and solutions related to the labor force in the agromaritime sector, and formulated relevant policies to deal with these problems.
The results of the discussion are expected to be the basis for producing effective policies in developing the workforce in the agromaritime sector. Through this series of webinars, IPB University is committed to improving the quality of education and curriculum relevance in the agromaritime sector, in order to answer labor market challenges and encourage the development of the sector in the future.
Prof Eko Sri Wiyono, Professor of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science (FPIK) IPB University, opened the session by expressing his concern about the declining interest of the younger generation in agromaritime education.
“Currently, many high school graduates prefer other fields such as information technology. To solve this problem, we are planning four webinar series to discuss the education system, the needs of the workforce, and the curriculum in the agromaritime field,” he explained. This effort aims to improve the education system to better suit market needs and reduce graduate unemployment.
Prof Arif Satria, Rector of IPB University also highlighted the importance of economic and social transformation to make the most of the demographic bonus.
“The government must support social aspects such as agrarian and community empowerment so that economic and social development are aligned. In addition, the reindustrialization of the agromaritime sector must be the main focus because this sector has proven to be resilient and contribute significantly,” he explained.
The Professor of the Faculty of Human Ecology also emphasized the need to develop an education system that supports this sector to attract young people and produce innovative human resources (HR).
In his presentation, Prof Bambang Juanda, Professor of the Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM) IPB University outlined strategies to increase the interest of the younger generation in the agromaritime sector.
“The curriculum must be adjusted to the needs of modern industry. We also need to develop study programs and take advantage of downstream industry opportunities and digital technology to attract more interest,” he said. He also highlighted the importance of innovation and promotion to increase the attractiveness of the agromaritime sector, which is experiencing a decline in interest.
Also present as a resource person was Prof San Afri Awang, Professor of the Faculty of Forestry, Gadjah Mada University (UGM), who also shared his views on the agromaritime sector and higher education curriculum development. (MW/Rz) (IAAS/ZQA)
