Bangkit (it means “rise up” in Indonesian) is an education program launched by Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in collaboration with technology companies such as Google, Grab, Tokopedia, and Traveloka. The goal of this program is to accelerate digital skills development and career opportunities for Indonesian students and young professionals through intensive training programs in fields like data science, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and more.
The first Bangkit program was launched in 2018 and gave training to over 15,000 participants. Since then, the program has grown significantly each year. In 2019, over 50,000 students enrolled in Bangkit and in 2020 during the pandemic, enrollment surged to over 200,000 students as many turned to online learning opportunities. The training is conducted completely free of cost for participants and is delivered through both offline and online modes. Students learn directly from industry experts and get hands-on experience through practical projects. Upon completion, they are awarded digital skill certificates that enhance their employability and career prospects.
The Bangkit program addresses several key issues hindering the growth of Indonesia’s digital economy and start-up ecosystem. First, there has been a huge shortage of data science and AI talent in Indonesia despite strong demand from tech companies and other industries undergoing digital transformation. Through intensive skill-building bootcamps, Bangkit seeks to develop a strong local talent pipeline that can fulfill this need. It trains students not just in technology but also in crucial ‘soft skills’ like communication, collaboration, problem-solving, self-learning that are essential for a fast evolving digital workplace.
Second, there are immense opportunities for tech entrepreneurship and start-ups in Indonesia given its large population, fast growing internet penetration and mobile phone usage. Most Indonesian youth lack exposure to the entrepreneurial mindset and skills needed to leverage this opportunity. Bangkit nurtures entrepreneurship through hacking events, idea competitions and incubating the most innovative student project ideas. It also brings together start-ups, investors, government and academia on a single platform to support the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Third, the geographic spread and economic conditions in Indonesia pose challenges in delivering quality technical education equally to all. Many talented youth in remote areas or from less privileged backgrounds do not get access to specialized digital skill development. The online delivery model of Bangkit coupled with substantial numbers helps overcome this hurdle to some extent. Students from any part of Indonesia can gain prestigious globally recognized certificates without bearing high costs of classroom learning.
On a macro level, Bangkit contributes to the Indonesian government’s ambitious goal of becoming a global digital hub and Southeast Asia’s leader in the fourth industrial revolution. It helps develop the skilled local workforce required for Indonesia’s digital economy to flourish. The program has gained immense popularity due to the high employment rate of its graduates in top multinational as well as domestic companies. This is strengthening Indonesia’s domestic tech industry while attracting more global investors and business. Through such public-private partnerships, Bangkit exemplifies how strategic skills-building initiatives can power a country’s overall economic and social progress, especially in a demography-rich developing economy like Indonesia.
The Bangkit program is transforming the lives and future of millions of Indonesian youth by making cutting-edge digital skills accessible to all. From addressing domestic talent shortage to fostering tech entrepreneurship, it is bridging socio-economic divides and spearheading Indonesia’s human capital preparedness for modern job markets. As one of the world’s largest digital skill development drives, Bangkit demonstrates how strategic skills-focused interventions can accelerate a country’s digital transformation from the grassroots level onward for equitable and inclusive development.