PORTALJABAR, KARAWANG REGENCY - Acting Governor of West Java Bey Machmudin appreciated the presence of the Think Big Space (TBS) program from Amazon Web Services (AWS) at SMK Negeri 1 Karawang.

TBS in West Java is the first in Southeast Asia and is considered very good for supporting the improvement of skills of vocational school students while strengthening connections between the world of education and industry.

"The inauguration of Think Big Space is very good for vocational school students who want to increase their knowledge, as well as to answer the challenges of link and match between education and industry," said Bey after the inauguration ceremony on Thursday (10/24/2024).

According to Bey, the challenge for vocational school graduates in West Java is that it is relatively difficult to enter the industrial world because the material taught is not fully in accordance with industrial needs.

"This is one of the answers. We appreciate this program, and after seeing this vocational school directly, it turns out that the condition is very good," he added.

Bey also highlighted the importance of basic skills such as lathe and welding techniques that are still very much needed by the industry. He gave an example of the technology for making clothes hangers by students of SMK Negeri 1 Karawang, which is considered to have better quality than similar products on the market.

"I saw that the hangers were better than the ones usually found in laundries , where the ones found in laundries are thin, these are thick and cost Rp13,000 for ten hangers. This is very cheap and they can resell it," said Bey.

Regarding program development, Bey assessed that although SMK Negeri 1 Karawang has been running well, adjustments are still needed to meet the needs of the industry which continues to grow.

"Of course it's good, but it must continue to be adjusted to industry needs, maybe there is more sophisticated technology that can be adopted," he explained.

According to him, orders from factories show that students' skills are in line with market demand. "This also proves that what is taught is in line with industry needs," he said.

Challenges and Potential for Cooperation

When asked about the challenges in the field, Bey Machmudin said that in West Java it was already running but needed to be improved further.

"We have collaborated with several industries and support the skills programs in this vocational school. In fact, we already have industrial classes that match the industries in Karawang," he explained.

Bey also emphasized the importance of education in building human resource potential.

"We believe in the power of education to unlock the potential of human resources. We want to empower students in West Java and Indonesia for the digital future," said Bey.

AWS Data Center Indonesia Country Manager Winu Adiarto stated that support for STEAM ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) -based education is a priority to create a creative generation that is ready to compete in the digital world.

AWS Indonesia's Think Big Space is part of a global effort to build the technical capabilities of the younger generation.

This program is not only presented in the school environment, but in the future will also be expanded to public facilities, according to the needs of the surrounding community.

"We really hope that Think Big Space can help build the technical capabilities of the young generation in the areas where we operate, especially since 70 percent of Indonesia's population is between 14 and 47 years old. This is a huge potential that must be utilized positively," he said.

Through this program, said Winu, it is hoped that vocational schools in West Java can continue to innovate and produce graduates who are ready to compete in the global market, as well as become a driving force for industrial and economic development in Indonesia.