Kartu Prakerja for HR Leaders: Supporting Employee Development

Why HR Leaders Should Care About Prakerja

Kartu Prakerja offers a unique opportunity for Indonesian companies:

✅ Zero cost to employer - Government funds all training ✅ Rp 4.2M benefit per employee - Significant upskilling value ✅ Individual motivation - Employees drive their own learning ✅ Flexible course catalog - 40+ platforms, thousands of courses ✅ Immediate impact - Skills applied on the job within weeks

Understanding the Program Model

How Prakerja Differs from Corporate Training

Traditional Corporate Training:

• Company selects courses
• Company pays for training
• Batch enrollment for teams
• Company-specific content
• Managed by HR/L&D

Kartu Prakerja:

• Employees choose courses individually
• Government funds 100%
• Individual application and selection
• General professional skills
• Self-managed by employees

Why This Model Benefits Employers

1. Employee ownership - When workers choose their own training, completion rates are higher
2. Diverse skill development - Teams gain varied capabilities beyond company curriculum
3. Cost savings - Free up training budget for specialized, company-specific needs
4. Talent retention - Employees value companies that support personal development
5. Rapid upskilling - No procurement delays - employees start learning immediately

Strategic Approaches for HR Leaders

Approach 1: Information Sharing (Basic)

What you do:

• Post Prakerja wave schedules on company intranet
• Send email reminders when registration opens
• Create FAQ document for employee questions

Expected outcome:

• 10-20% of employees apply
• Some will be selected and complete training
• Minimal HR time investment

Best for: Companies new to Prakerja or with limited L&D resources

Approach 2: Active Encouragement (Intermediate)

What you do:

• Host information sessions about Prakerja benefits
• Help employees understand how to apply
• Recognize employees who complete Prakerja courses
• Track participation rates by department

Expected outcome:

• 30-40% of employees apply
• Higher selection rates due to prepared applications
• Visible skill development across teams

Best for: Mid-size companies with active L&D programs

Approach 3: Strategic Integration (Advanced)

What you do:

• Map Prakerja courses to company skill requirements
• Create recommended learning paths by role
• Provide work hours for course completion
• Integrate Prakerja certificates into performance reviews
• Supplement with company-specific training

Expected outcome:

• 50-60% of employees apply
• Strategic skill development aligned with business goals
• Measurable impact on productivity and innovation

Best for: Large companies with comprehensive talent development strategies

Implementation Playbook

Phase 1: Set Up (Week 1-2)

1. Educate yourself

• Review complete Prakerja guide
• Understand wave schedule and timelines
• Explore available course catalog

2. Create internal resources

• FAQ document for employees
• Wave schedule calendar
• Step-by-step application guide
• List of recommended courses by department

3. Plan communication strategy

• Who will manage Prakerja information?
• How will you notify employees of new waves?
• What channels will you use (email, Slack, intranet)?

Phase 2: Launch Communication (Week 3-4)

1. Announcement email template

Subject: Get Rp 4.2M in Free Training Benefits - Prakerja Program

Dear Team,

We're excited to share information about Kartu Prakerja, a government program that provides Indonesian workers with Rp 4.2 million in free training benefits.

What is Prakerja?

• Rp 3.5M to spend on online courses
• Rp 700K in completion incentives
• Access to 40+ learning platforms
• AI, tech, business, and professional skills

Who can apply?

• Indonesian citizens (WNI)
• Age 18+
• Both employed and unemployed workers

Next wave opens: [DATE] Registration closes: [DATE]

[Link to company FAQ] [Link to application guide]

Questions? Contact [HR contact]

2. Department meetings

• Present Prakerja benefits to teams
• Show examples of relevant courses
• Answer employee questions
• Explain company support available

Phase 3: Support Employees (Ongoing)

Before Application:

• Send wave opening reminders
• Help employees verify NIK and phone numbers
• Clarify eligibility questions

After Selection:

• Celebrate selected employees
• Provide time during work hours for learning
• Help employees choose strategic courses

After Completion:

• Recognize course completions in team meetings
• Ask employees to share key learnings
• Track skills gained for talent planning

Recommended Courses by Department

Technology & Engineering

1. Microsoft AI Fundamentals (Free via Talenta AI)
2. Python Programming Basics (Rp 350,000)
3. Data Analytics with Power BI (Free via Talenta AI)
4. Web Development Fundamentals (Rp 500,000)
5. Cloud Computing Basics (Rp 400,000)

Marketing & Sales

1. Digital Marketing Strategy (Rp 300,000)
2. Social Media Marketing (Rp 250,000)
3. Google Ads Certification (Rp 400,000)
4. Content Creation & Copywriting (Rp 200,000)
5. SEO Fundamentals (Rp 300,000)

Operations & Administration

1. Excel Advanced (Rp 250,000)
2. Project Management Basics (Rp 350,000)
3. Data Visualization (Rp 300,000)
4. Business Process Automation (Rp 400,000)
5. Supply Chain Management (Rp 450,000)

Customer Service

1. Professional Communication (Rp 200,000)
2. Customer Experience Management (Rp 300,000)
3. Conflict Resolution (Rp 250,000)
4. CRM Tools Training (Rp 350,000)
5. Service Excellence (Rp 200,000)

Finance & Accounting

1. Financial Modeling (Rp 500,000)
2. Advanced Excel for Finance (Rp 300,000)
3. Data Analytics for Finance (Free via Talenta AI)
4. Accounting Software Training (Rp 350,000)
5. Business Intelligence (Rp 400,000)

Measuring Impact

Metrics to Track

Participation Metrics:

• % of employees who apply
• % of employees selected
• % of employees who complete courses
• Average courses completed per employee

Skill Development Metrics:

• Skills gained by department
• Certifications earned
• Alignment with company learning priorities
• Time from course completion to skill application

Business Impact Metrics:

• Productivity improvements
• Innovation initiatives started
• Internal mobility enabled by new skills
• Employee satisfaction with development opportunities

Sample Tracking Spreadsheet

Employee Name	Department	Application Date	Selected?	Courses Completed	Skills Gained	Impact on Role
Andi Susanto	Marketing	Wave 70	Yes	3	SEO, Google Ads	Increased traffic 25%
Siti Rahman	Tech	Wave 71	Yes	2	Python, AI	Built automation tool

Common HR Questions

Can we sponsor employees who aren't selected?

No. Prakerja selection is managed by the government. Companies cannot pay to guarantee employee selection. However, you can:

• Encourage multiple applications across waves
• Provide alternative corporate training for non-selected employees
• Use other funding programs (see Indonesia Corporate Training Alternatives)

Should we provide work time for Prakerja courses?

This is a company decision. Many Indonesian companies:

• Allow 2-4 hours per week for course completion
• Recognize completion in performance reviews
• Celebrate employees who finish courses

Providing time shows you value employee development and increases completion rates.

What if employees leave after getting trained?

Prakerja is a government benefit, not a company-funded program. There's no obligation to stay. However:

• Employees who feel supported in development often stay longer
• Skills gained typically benefit current role immediately
• Creating a learning culture attracts and retains top talent

Can we require employees to take specific courses?

No. Prakerja gives employees full autonomy over course selection. However, you can:

• Recommend courses aligned with role requirements
• Incentivize strategic course choices through recognition
• Supplement with mandatory corporate training for critical skills

Combining Prakerja with Corporate Training

The Optimal Mix

Use Prakerja for:

• General professional skills (Excel, communication)
• Emerging technologies (AI, data analytics)
• Individual career development
• Certifications and credentials

Use corporate training for:

• Company-specific tools and processes
• Proprietary methodologies
• Team-building and culture
• Compliance and mandatory training
• Advanced technical specialization

Example: Tech Company Learning Strategy

Prakerja (Individual):

• Microsoft AI Fundamentals
• Python programming basics
• Data visualization with Power BI

Corporate Training (Company-funded):

• Internal codebase architecture
• Company API documentation
• Security protocols
• Product development process

Result: Employees gain broad foundational skills through Prakerja, then apply them to company-specific work through corporate training.

Next Steps for Your Organization

This Week

☐ Review Prakerja wave schedule ☐ Create internal FAQ document ☐ Identify HR point person for Prakerja questions

This Month

☐ Send announcement email to all employees ☐ Host information session about Prakerja ☐ Create recommended course list by department

This Quarter

☐ Track employee participation and selection rates ☐ Recognize employees who complete courses ☐ Measure business impact of skills gained

This Year

☐ Integrate Prakerja into overall L&D strategy ☐ Combine with corporate training for comprehensive development ☐ Build learning culture that attracts top talent