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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Indonesian association encourages youth entrepreneurship from school

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The Indonesian Bumiputera Business Association (Asprindo) advocates for entrepreneurship education starting in schools.
  • This initiative aims to equip young people with business skills and foster self-employment opportunities.
  • Asprindo supports student ventures through training, mentorship, and access to exhibitions, promoting local products.

The Indonesian Bumiputera Business Association (Asprindo) is championing the development of young entrepreneurs by integrating entrepreneurship education into the school curriculum. This proactive approach seeks to equip the younger generation with essential business skills, thereby creating avenues for independent employment.

We provide teaching and guidance during the three years of education. The hope is that after graduation, they can use these skills to build businesses, even create jobs for others.

— Risma SitorusSitorus explained the objective of integrating entrepreneurship into the school curriculum.

Risma Sitorus, Deputy Head of Asprindo's UMKM, Cooperative, and Entrepreneurship Development Department, shared that the idea stemmed from her experience leading SMK Citra Nusantara. Witnessing graduates struggle to find employment, she introduced entrepreneurship as a subject. The program provides three years of instruction and guidance, with the goal of enabling students to establish their own businesses and generate jobs upon graduation.

We always instill confidence in the children that UMKM and entrepreneurship have a future. Therefore, we strive to develop types of businesses that suit the interests of the younger generation.

— Risma SitorusSitorus discussed the importance of building confidence in young entrepreneurs.

The curriculum focuses on utilizing readily available local materials like wood, bamboo, rattan, and purun for crafts. Students also learn culinary skills based on local potential. Sitorus emphasized that cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit involves not only teaching skills but also instilling confidence in the promising future of micro-enterprises.

The products produced are not only handicrafts but also culinary. We help from packaging design to marketing strategies so that the products are more in demand.

— Risma SitorusSitorus highlighted the diverse range of products developed by students and the support provided for marketing.

Asprindo actively supports student businesses by offering training, mentorship, and promotional opportunities, including participation in various exhibitions. To broaden market reach, Sitorus founded the Koperasi Citra Nusantara Maju in 2011, which now boasts 198 members primarily marketing their own products. Asprindo hopes for increased consumer support for domestic UMKM products to foster growth and competitiveness, aiming for local businesses to eventually compete on a global scale.

Our hope is that more UMKM players move up and are able to compete in the global market with the support of various parties.

— Risma SitorusSitorus expressed her aspirations for the growth and global competitiveness of Indonesian micro, small, and medium enterprises.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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