Indonesia
Hospitality training
Giving 28 students in Indonesia the opportunity to pursue vocational studies in hospitality
Education & Training
The Need
In Indonesia, 67 per cent of children attend upper secondary school. However, many children living in poverty cannot pursue higher education past high school due to high course costs. Many youths also have to begin working right away in order to begin supporting themselves or their families. They may also lack access to the information needed to find and register for courses, training programs and schooling.
After high school graduation, though many of Compassion’s beneficiary youth must begin to work, they are only able to find jobs low-paying jobs that don’t require any training or special skills. Even for students who excel academically, parents are unable to financially support high-quality, vocational training for their children, as most caregivers work as day or seasonal labourers and struggle to make ends meet.
That’s why Compassion wanted to work alongside 14 of our local church partners as well as Graha Wisata Asri—a hospitality education institute—to provide education, on-the-job training and internships for 28 high school graduates. This opportunity would provide practical and professional life skills that would help participants learn how to be successful in the hospitality industry, compete in the industrial world and even become young entrepreneurs.
Our Response
Working alongside our local partners in Salatiga and Kabupaten Semarang, Indonesia, 28 students were selected to attend Graha Wisata Asri, a hospitality education institute managed by Hotel Laras Asri Resort & Spa, which is a four-star hotel. Our local partners chose students based on a number of qualifications, including their academic track record in high school, their participation in the Compassion centre programming, spiritual maturity and their desire to pursue higher education.
After funding was received and the students were selected for this program, 28 students completed a 12-month diploma program where they were housed and provided with essential items for work and school. The students learned everything required to excel in the hospitality industry, including working in the front office, housekeeping, food and beverage service and culinary and patisserie. They were intensively and thoroughly trained through classroom experiences as well as on-the-job learning and internships.
All of the participants graduated from this hospitality program and received a certificate of completion during the graduation ceremony held on October 31, 2022. All of them had followed and completed the on-the-job-training at prestigious hotels in Central Java.
At the time of project completion, 10 participants were still active in their Compassion programs and 18 participants had graduated and aged out of the Compassion program. This initiative gave the participating youths an opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills just in time for them to enter the workplace. Through courses, internships and on-the-job training, this valuable experience prepared these young people to enter the working world.
Activities
Hospitality training: Students received training in working in the front office, housekeeping, food and beverage service and culinary and pastry skills.
On-the-job training: About 70 per cent of the hospitality program involved on-the-job training. Students enjoyed the practical training where they could put their knowledge and skills into action.
Graduation and awards: All 28 students were awarded a certificate at the graduation ceremony in October 2022. The top three students with the highest grades and the top four interns received special recognition during the ceremony.
Your Gift Provides...
• First semester courses and school fees for 28 students
• Second semester courses and school fees for 28 students
• On-the-job training and internships
• Uniforms and other essential items
• Transport, meals and lodging
• Books, stationary, photocopying and other school supplies
ReportA message from those your gift helped
Before the intervention, I did not have enough confidence to discover my true talent inside myself. I had no experience and felt confused about where to work.
Now that I have gained knowledge and skills in hospitality, I have something that allows me to compete in the job market. Thankfully, after graduation, I could work immediately as a casual worker at two hotels.
I believe that I can have a brighter future if I diligently follow this path and continue to sharpen my skills. I am happy that I can earn some income for my family and change the economic condition of our family. It means a lot with the progress in this present time, and hopefully more improvement in the future.
I believe that God has opened the way and my part is to do my best with the opportunity given in the hospitality sector. I want to develop myself more and gain more experience. Thank you for all the motivation and advice given by my mentors and parents. I will keep practising my skills and growing and learning new things.
I would like to thank the sponsors and donors who were involved in shaping my skills and abilities so that I was able to find out what skills I have within me. Thank you for the blessings that have been given to me. May God multiply the blessings to you to help more people with love.
ReportThank you for your generosity
Because of your generous gift, 28 young people received high-quality formal training and an education that would otherwise have been out of reach. Learning helps build not only important skills but also self-confidence.
These participants now feel confident as they support themselves and their families, build relationships with others and dream of a better future. Many of the young people were able to find jobs within the hospitality industry, and others now feel confident as they apply for jobs they know they are qualified for. Some of the participants are using the skills they have learned during their education to save up so they can begin small businesses of their own. Joko, a participant who received the highest grade for on-the-job-training, found a hospitality job right away and now, along with his friends, is working towards starting a business in the information technology sector. Betrissia, who graduated top of her class, feels God’s hand on her life: “One thing that is very extraordinary in my life is that behind the hard work during the internship and also a lot of time spent during college, God has a plan and a very extraordinary gift. Praise the name of God, I could get the first place and get the best grades when in the school and that’s something I didn’t expect! This was all because of God’s help so that I can make my parents proud. I hope that after finishing this study, God will also prepare the best place to work so that wherever the place of work is I can be a blessing to the people around me. Thank you to the staff and mentors who have supported me all this time. May God always bless you!”
Thanks to your investment, these young people understand more of God’s presence, kindness and intervention in their lives. They have been developing self-confidence in supporting themselves and their families, building relationship with others, dreaming of a better future, taking responsibility toward their study process and serving others.
Your gift has provided 28 youths with valuable life and workplace skills that will help them reach economic security as they pursue a career path of their choosing and provide them with the opportunity to break generational cycles of poverty. Now, they are finding purpose and fulfillment as they contribute to society doing a job that they enjoy. Thank you!
ReportA message from a centre director
After the participants followed this vocational training, they became more confident because of the increased knowledge gained in the hospitality sector. Students now have hope for a better future with the expertise, skills and experience gained while having on-the-job training in the four-star hotels. They became more independent and mature.
This was the third batch and more participants are interested in joining the hospitality program at Graha Wisata Asri. Registered children diligently go to the church, keep in touch with their friends and can be role models or examples for their younger siblings, who see the success they got from the program.
Seeing participants become independent and self-sufficient is a joy for us. This adds to our motivation and enthusiasm in guiding registered children at the centre. Of course, we are very proud to be able to see their success and watch them achieve their goals according to their talents and skills.
We are very grateful to the sponsors and donors who have supported this program, which has helped produce competent and successful children. We can only pray that those who have supported this program will always be blessed by God.