INDONESIAN–SWISS PARTNERSHIP BUILDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE FOR THE RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRY
On 21 January 2026, the governments of Indonesia and Switzerland launched Phase 2 of the Renewable Energy Skills Development (RESD) programme in Jakarta. This joint commitment to strengthening human resources in the renewable energy sector supports Indonesia’s Net Zero Emission 2060 target and accelerate the national energy transition.
The programme follows a 2025 cooperation agreement signed between the Human Resources Development Agency of Energy and Mineral Resources (BPSDM ESDM) and the Swiss Government through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO. At the launch event in Jakarta, Swiss Ambassador to Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and ASEAN, Olivier Zehnder, emphasised that Switzerland and Indonesia share the belief that a skilled and job-ready workforce is a critical foundation for the energy transition. He noted that RESD helps address the growing demand for qualified renewable energy professionals through joint investment in human capital towards Net Zero Emission 2060.
Echoing this view, the Head of Human Resources Development, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Prahoro Nurtjahyo, highlighted that Indonesia’s vast renewable energy potential can only be realised through strong human resource capacity, supported by policies that reinforce educational and vocational institutions. Similarly, a representative of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology stressed that RESD goes beyond curriculum development by building a vocational education system aligned with industry needs and integrating formal and non-formal education in the development of green skills.
From the labour perspective, a representative of the Ministry of Manpower stated that RESD responds to both emission reduction goals and workforce competency needs by expanding access to vocational training and employment opportunities in the renewable energy sector.
RESD Phase 2 from October 2025 to December 2028 builds on the achievements of Phase 1, started in December 2020. During this period, the programme graduated 450 applied bachelor students specialising in renewable energy, trained 386 certified solar PV and micro-hydro technicians across nine provinces, strengthened the capacity of 214 lecturers and instructors at 10 polytechnics and training centres, established more than 100 industry partnerships, and achieved an 80 per cent graduate employment rate.
Over the next 3.5 years, RESD Phase 2 will expand to 19 polytechnics and training institutions across 15 provinces under the coordination of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, and the Ministry of Manpower. Key priorities include expanding technology coverage to battery energy storage alongside solar and hydropower, strengthening industry-based curricula, upgrading training facilities to industry standards, and promoting gender equality in renewable energy education and careers. Swiss support includes curriculum development, training for lecturers and instructors by Swiss experts, provision of industry-standard learning facilities, and the promotion of gender equality in the renewable energy sector.
GFA Consulting Group and its partners contribute to the programme’s Component 1 (formal education), Component 2 (non-formal education), and Component 3 (information exchange and communication). These services play a central role in building institutional capacity, improving training quality, and linking education with industry. Through practice-based learning and close industry engagement, RESD Phase 2 aims at enhancing graduate employability while supporting Indonesia’s renewable energy targets and Net Zero Emission 2060, further strengthening Indonesia–Switzerland cooperation in sustainable development.
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