Indonesia Explores Job Opportunities for Nurses in Australia

Jakarta, (Antara Sumbar) - The National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Workers (BNP2TKI) is exploring employment opportunities for Indonesian nursing staff to work in Australia.

A statement from the Indonesian Consulate General in Sydney received here on Thursday (Sept 21) mentioned that the Head of BNP2TKI, Nusron Wahid, visited Vocational Education, Training, and Employment Australia (VETEA) in Sydney to discuss opportunities for cooperation in the field of nursing skills improvement.

"There are two targets for this cooperation. First is to improve Indonesian nurses English skills and prepare them to be able to compete in the Australian labor market that is currently competed by nurses from the Philippines, India, Nepal, and Vietnam," Nusron explained.

One of the breakthroughs being pursued by BNP2TKI is to organize a joint skills-building program with Australian partners in Indonesia.

This cooperation is expected to open up wider opportunities for Indonesian nurses who generally still have difficulties in taking professional certification exams abroad.

The training by vocational institutions in Australia is also expected to ensure that Indonesian nurses skills meet Australian standards.

The Australian market is very potential for Indonesian workers in the nursing sector. Australia's need for nurses is estimated at more than 800 thousand until 2020.

In the future, the population of elderly people in Australia's demographic composition is increasing, and the number of people with special needs is also increasing.

"Australia is now one of the destinations for the deployment of Indonesian nurses abroad," Nusron noted.

BNP2TKI is committed to making nursing and hospitality as employment focus of Indonesia in formal sector in work market overseas. (*)

Editor: Vicha Faradika