Indonesia Reopens National Internship Program or 80,000 College Graduates

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has reopened registration for the National Internship Program Batch 2, scheduled from November 6 to 12, 2025, as part of its 8+4+5 economic stimulus package. The second phase of the program aims to accommodate 80,000 recent college graduates.Minister of Manpower Yassierli emphasized that the program is not intended to directly provide employment but rather to offer practical work experience.“This is not designed to provide job opportunities,” Yassierli told reporters in Jakarta on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.Program Timeline and BenefitsFor the second batch, company registration and proposal submissions will take place from October 24 to November 5, followed by participant registration from November 6 to 12.The selection and announcement process will run from November 12 to 20, while the internship period will be held from November 24, 2025, to May 23, 2026.Participants will receive a monthly allowance equivalent to the regional minimum wage, funded by the government and disbursed through state-owned banks including BNI, BRI, BTN, Mandiri, and BSI.Interns will also be covered by social security (Jamsostek), which includes occupational accident and death benefits, in addition to company mentoring and a certificate of completion.In the first phase of the program, the Ministry of Manpower recorded 15,000 accepted participants. According to Anwar Sanusi, Head of the Manpower Planning and Development Agency (Barenbang Naker), public interest was strong.Since the program opened on October 1, 2025, 1,668 companies registered and proposed a total of 26,181 internship positions.Building Graduate CompetitivenessMinister Yassierli said the internship targets college graduates who have been out of school for more than a year, offering them six months of hands-on experience to improve their employability.“Interns will gain experience, enhance their CVs, and become more competitive in the job market,” he said.Yassierli added that the government aims to enroll 100,000 participants in 2025 and plans to continue the initiative next year.“There were whispers earlier—InshaAllah, another 100,000 next year. This program will become a regular government initiative,” he said.Dede Leni contributed to the writing of this article.Editor’s Choice: Risks and Challenges Loom as Indonesia Moves to Develop Nuclear PlantsClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News