Tackling Indonesia's supply chain and logistics challenge

The report, drafted along with the Asosiasi Logistik Indonesia, Universitas Indonesia and Institute Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, was presented at the CeMAT South East Asia conference in Jakarta on 3 March.

It is the first part of a major in-depth study which is investigating the skills challenges in supply chain and logistics management activities in two cities – Jakarta and Surabaya.

The study was primarily motivated by observations in the Indonesian Government’s 2012 Blueprint for the Development of National Logistics System (Cetak Biru Pengembangan Sistem Logistik Nasional).

This report identified a huge gap in the skills supply and it being a major impediment to the nation’s attempt at lifting its national logistics performance, which needs to meet the needs of more than 300 million people spread across 17,000 islands.

The findings in the preliminary report are derived from a series of interviews and workshops with senior executives in the logistics and supply chain industry.

From these interviews, three areas of priority have been identified as critical to establish a robust supply chain and logistics system in Indonesia:

1. Training System. The need to create a stronger training system that is underpinned by deeper partnerships and closer coordination between government, industry and education providers.
2. Curriculum. Strongly align the curriculum to industry needs, providing more training support schemes and preparing job-ready graduates and competent professionals.
3. Standards and Body of Knowledge. Establish a national competency standard and logistics core body of knowledge that meets industry expectation. This includes thinking and learning skills, interpersonal skills, customer service and business skills, analytical and ICT skills, and logistics specialist skills.

“These identified priority areas present new opportunities to develop an education and training system that addresses Indonesia’s skills needs in the supply chain and logistics sector,” said Professor Caroline Chan, Head of RMIT’s School of Business IT and Logistics.

“The needs of the training are broad and span from technical high school qualification and tertiary qualifications to professional certifications, short online courses and corporate training programs.

“We want to expand the depth of our study to gain a more granular understanding of the sector’s skills gaps.

“We are therefore asking Indonesian supply chain and logistics companies to participate in a short online survey.

“The data from this will be used to substantiate an accredited skills training framework proposal, designed by and for the Indonesian supply chain and logistics industry."

Chan added: “To agree and execute on the framework, RMIT is looking forward to working with its partners the Asosiasi Logistik Indonesia, Institute of Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember and Universitas Indonesia to engage with government, industry and education providers, all of whom have a stake in bringing this to life.”

To find out more, download a copy of the preliminary report and to participate in the Indonesia supply chain and logistics skills challenge survey, visit rmit.edu.au/skillsindonesia

For more information, email Professor Caroline Chan at caroline.chan@rmit.edu.au or Mahendra Rianto at the Asosiasi Logistik Indonesia, secretariat.ali@gmail.com. 

This is an Indonesia – Australia initiative.

Story: Nigel Halsey