VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Solar panels installed at a hybrid power plant in Cilacap, Central Java, on October 6, 2021. (ANTARA PHOTO/IDHAD ZAKARIA/FR) - 

The Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry is cooperating with PT Pembangkitan Jawa-Bali (PJB), a subsidiary of state-run PLN, which is working with Ujung Pandang State Polytechnic (PNUP) for developing renewable energy.

"This collaboration is very relevant with the government's vision where vocational education becomes the industry's frontline in Indonesia," director general for vocational education at the ministry, Wikan Sakarinto, said in a written statement issued on Friday.

"This is in accordance with the vocational education strengthening vision. This cooperation is one of the programs to ensure integration between vocational education and the working world that have to come closer," he added.

The cooperation involves close synchronization for developing programs that could hone the skills of vocational education graduates and create innovations, he said.

This cooperation is being undertaken under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between PT PJB and PNUP, he informed.

Meanwhile, PT PJB's human resources and administration director noted that the collaboration with PNUP, a vocational university, is relevant for the development of renewable energy.

"PJB's target for 2025 is to have 25 percent renewable energy utilization. To this end, for Sulawesi, we require design energy specification, operator that all should have certification," he informed.

Cooperation with PNUP will be beneficial in figuring out solutions for human resource development through innovations done by PT PJB, he said.

"One of PT PJB's best achievement indicators within the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) is currently the Automatic Vibration Monitor Calibrator (AVATOR) as Indonesia's most prospective work," he highlighted.

AVATOR is a low-cost vibration tester for power plants, he said. The device aims to test vibration monitoring devices that are the heart of a generator engine's protection, he added.

Meanwhile, PNUP director Muhammad Anshar said that the renewable energy cooperation with PT PJB fits with the polytechnic's goals for supporting the renewable energy application implementations master's study program.

"We laud PT PJB for choosing to cooperate with PNUP as a part of innovating in renewable energy," he remarked//ANT