In this dire job market situation, internship programs are one solution for companies looking to reduce operational costs. Of course, it’s not easy for companies to stay afloat, but internship programs can disrupt the job market itself.
Who would have thought that operational positions like warehouse admin, cleaning service, and logistics staff would now participate in this mushrooming internship phenomenon?
Previously, operational positions were directly contracted, given the minimum wage and lack of specialized educational background. But now, many positions sought after by high school graduates are labeled “internship.”
Why is that?
An internship is defined in Article 1, number 11 of Law Number 13 of 2003 concerning Manpower (“Manpower Law”) as:
“A part of a job training system that integrates training at a training institution with direct work under the guidance and supervision of an instructor or more experienced worker/laborer, in the production process of goods and/or services in a company, in order to master certain skills or expertise.”
In reality, many operational positions are started directly without the guidance and supervision of instructors or more experienced workers, given that operational jobs like cleaning services involve intensive physical labor (95% internship/OJT).
Cleaning services themselves are not just about “cleaning”; they have industry standards and SOPs.
However, if internship status is used to replace permanent workers at lower wages, this can be problematic.
Even if certification is promised too, professionalization must also be accompanied by protection.
So… what do you think? Is this a form of mentoring or cost-saving?
