Skilled workers in focus as Germany’s Wadephul visits Indonesia

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is continuing his first extended trip to Asia in office with a focus on social and economic issues on Thursday.

The conservative politician plans to visit the College of Health Professions in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, on Thursday, together with Health Minister Budi Gundai Sadikin. In light of the shortage of nursing staff, Germany is interested in recruiting skilled workers from Indonesia in this field.

The German government sees great potential to recruit skilled workers from Indonesia, especially since half of the population is under 30 years old.

Wadephul intends to engage in discussions with the trainees at the college to get an idea of how they envision their future career plans in Germany. So far, skilled worker migration in this area remains at a low level, with around 1,000 visas per year.

Visit to production facility for truck and bus chassis

Subsequently, Wadephul plans to visit a production facility of Germany’s Daimler Truck AG in Cikarang, east of Jakarta, where chassis for trucks and buses are manufactured.

At the site, which employs around 200 people and covers over 130,000 square metres, nearly 200 of these chassis are assembled monthly. The site was opened in June, with Daimler Truck investing a total of €27 million ($31.5 million). A unique feature is an in-house test track, which Wadephul also intends to inspect.

The minister then plans visits to the Istiqlal Mosque, guided by Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar, and the Cathedral of Jakarta, guided by Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo. Wadephul plans to gain an understanding of the coexistence of religions in the city.

He also plans to visit the “Tunnel of Friendship,” which connects both places of worship.