Encouraging Job Creation, Government Prepares Venture Capital Package for Graduates

 

Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Dr. Ir. Fadel Muhammad, said that the government would prepare venture capital packages for entrepreneurship program for graduates. This program aims to boost job creation. “There is a big problem in Indonesia. We produce many university graduates while there are very limited work opportunities. I once brought up this problem to a cabinet meeting,” said Fadel Muhammad briefing future  young entrepreneurs in Yogyakarta Special Province. The event was held in Harjono Danusastro Building, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Saturday (16/1/2010).

 

Fadel added that the government also prepared packages for fresh graduates in the form of freshwater fish package (tilapia, catfish, and milkfish). The entire packages for this year are worth 80 billion rupiah with a scheme of 5-15 million rupiah. Those are separate from the package for fishermen that will be distributed through departments in each region.

 

Fadel said that entrepreneur package for scholars is expected to produce good entrepreneurs who are based on higher education. Becoming an entrepreneur, according to Fadel, should meet requirements such as skills, opportunity and strategy.

The similar opinion also delivered by Minister of Cooperative and Small & Medium Business, Dr. Syarief Hasan, M.M., M.B.A. He conveyed that his ministry has cooperated with Bank BPD throughout Indonesia and several banks that facilitate entrepreneur aid program for graduates. In his opinion, by producing young entrepreneurs, the target to decrease unemployment rate today, which is 7.87 %, can be reduced to 5-6% in 2014. Meanwhile, poverty rate of 14.15% can be reduced to 8-10%. “It only requires a scholar certificate for collaterals, and the stimulant venture credit can be given to graduates,” he said.