Jakarta. The pre-employment card —the government’s flagship training program for pandemic-hit workers and job seekers— has reached 11.4 million beneficiaries across the archipelago, according to Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto.

At least 75 million people have signed up to participate in the program since its launch last April.

“Within two years, 11.4 million across 514 districts or cities have joined the pre-employment card,” Airlangga told the Economic Outlook 2022 summit on Monday.

“The World Bank finds the pre-employment card as a government program that provides access to capital, boosts purchasing power, and offers training that is in line with the situation that we are facing,” he said.

The government plans to continue rolling out pre-employment cards next year, while also aiming for in-person courses later on.

“The program will remain the same over the next six months. But in the following six months, we are looking to launch offline programs, not just online," Airlangga said.

"[We hope to] return to the initial program that is not only a semi-social assistance, but also [one] that encourages reskilling and retraining to meet digitalization needs."

With 1,700 courses offered on digital platforms, the pre-employment card has unlocked a new market for edutech. This program is also a boon for financial inclusion, as it has given people without bank accounts access to e-wallets, according to Airlangga.

Last April, the government rolled out the pre-employment card, in hopes to help job seekers and workers to hone their skills and bounce back in these difficult times. 

The program involves a selection process that requires individuals to meet a list of requirements. Beneficiaries will receive the incentives once they complete the training.