Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has launched the Renewable Energy Skills Development (RESD) Phase II program to strengthen human capital development in Indonesia’s renewable energy sector and support the national energy transition toward Net Zero Emissions by 2060.
The program is a continuation of bilateral cooperation between the Governments of Indonesia and Switzerland and focuses on enhancing vocational education and training aligned with the evolving needs of the clean energy industry. RESD Phase II is positioned as a strategic instrument to prepare a skilled, adaptive workforce capable of supporting Indonesia’s long-term energy transition agenda.
Head of the Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDM) of the Ministry of ESDM, Prahoro Nurtjahyo, stated that the success of energy transition depends heavily on the availability of competent and sustainable human resources.
Through RESD Phase II, the government aims to build a comprehensive human capital ecosystem by aligning vocational education with industry demand, fostering collaboration among educational institutions, industry players, and international partners. The program is expected to produce renewable energy professionals who are not only job-ready but also capable of leading transformation in the clean energy sector.
Prahoro explained that the implementation of RESD Phase II builds upon the achievements of RESD Phase I, which was carried out from December 2020 to July 2025. During the first phase, the program produced 450 applied bachelor graduates specializing in renewable energy and trained 386 technicians in solar power plants and micro-hydropower facilities across nine provinces.
In addition, RESD Phase I enhanced the capacity of 214 lecturers and instructors, established more than 100 strategic partnerships with industry stakeholders, and achieved an employment absorption rate of 80 percent among polytechnic graduates.
Swiss Ambassador to Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and ASEAN, Olivier Zehnder, emphasized that Switzerland and Indonesia share a common vision regarding the importance of skilled labor in supporting the clean energy transition. He noted that with the support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), RESD represents a long-term investment in renewable energy human resources through skills transfer and institutional capacity building.
Director General of Higher Education at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Khairul Munadi, highlighted that RESD goes beyond curriculum development by strengthening vocational education systems aligned with industry requirements, including the integration of formal and non-formal education in developing green skills.
RESD Phase II, which will run from 2025 to 2028, will expand implementation to 19 polytechnics and training institutions under the Ministry of ESDM, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, and the Ministry of Manpower across 15 provinces. The program will focus on expanding renewable energy technologies, including battery energy storage systems, strengthening industry-based curricula, providing industry-standard laboratory facilities, and promoting gender equality in the energy sector.
The Ministry of ESDM expects RESD Phase II to improve graduate employability while reinforcing the contribution of national human resources to Indonesia’s clean energy transition and sustainable development goals. (*)
