On March 21, the 5th graduation ceremony for the Bachelor Professional Automotive Mechatronics Program was held at the ASTRAtech campus, located at Delta Silicon II Industrial Area Cikarang, West Java.
The ceremony was held as part of the German Dual Vocational Education and Training (GDVET) program collaboration between ASTRAtech, AHK Indonesia/EKONID, the Association of the German Motor Vehicle Trade (Zentralverband Deutsches Kraft Kraftfahrzeuggewerbe – ZDK) Bonn, and the Chamber of Skilled Crafts (Handwerkskammer – HWK) Koblenz which has been established since 2014.
The GDVET program is designed to raise the standards of vocational education in Indonesia by equipping graduates with industry-relevant skills and knowledge to enhance their contribution to the automotive sector’s competitiveness.
The Bachelor Professional in Automotive Mechatronics has been a flagship international certification program with ASTRAtech since 2019, and it is equivalent to the Meister qualification in Germany. Its aim is to provide automotive sales, after-sales, and maintenance personnel with globally recognized qualifications to increase the industry’s competitiveness.
This batch signifies the second implementation of the program outside of Germany since 2024, equipped with a new standard exam for the participants.
Several milestones were achieved through this program, notably PT Kalimantan Prima Persada (KPP) participating in the program for the first time. This signifies the program’s growing support for the industrial sector, including mining, to address challenges in heavy equipment.
Batch 5 saw 12 graduates from various Astra Group companies, including Toyota Sales Operation, Daihatsu Sales Operation, BMW Sales Operation, Isuzu Sales Operation, PT Astra Agro Lestari Tbk, Kalimantan Prima Persada, and ASTRAtech. Their successful completion of the program demonstrates the program’s ability to cater to a diverse range of industries, further confirming its relevance in today’s rapidly evolving market.
The ceremony was supported and attended by key representatives from Germany and Indonesia, including Jan Rönnfeld, Executive Director of EKONID; Henri Paul, Director of ASTRAtech; Joachim Syha, Technical Advisor at ZDK; Stefan Odenthal, Chief of the Meister Examination Board – Automotive Meister – at HWK; and Mario Monschauer, Chief of the Meister Examination Board and Head of the Motor Vehicle Department at HWK. Several executives and representatives from Astra Group companies and the ASTRAtech management team also attended the event.
Mr. Odenthal expressed pride in the graduates' achievements, recognizing Astra Polytechnic’s role in shaping skilled professionals who will contribute to Indonesia’s automotive industry.
Additionally, Erlan Krisnaring Cahyono, Chairman of Yayasan Astra Bina Ilmu (YABI), highlighted the significance of the Bachelor Professional Automotive Mechatronics program as a successful implementation of German vocational standards in Indonesia, blending high-tech German industry practices with local automotive sector needs.
One of the program’s graduates from PT Kalimantan Prima Persada, Yusuf Fendi Nugroho, reflected on his positive experience gaining valuable insights and hands-on training throughout the program, enhancing both soft and hard skills. He also shared his belief that his colleagues in the mining industry will benefit greatly from the knowledge and experience offered by this program.
This graduation ceremony shows the program’s significant contribution to enhancing Indonesia's automotive sector workforce, equipping graduates with the skills to meet both current and future industry demands.