Ex-post Evaluation

Grant Aid

Based on the concept of cooperating to build up human resources in ASEAN countries that the Japanese Prime Minister Suzuki proposed during his round of visits to the ASEAN countries in January 1981, the Center for Vocational and Extension Service Training (CEVEST) Vocational Training Development Project was implemented and continued until March 1990. After the cooperation, CEVEST was moved from being under the joint jurisdiction of the Ministry of Technology and the Ministry of Manpower to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Manpower alone.

Later, the government of Indonesia requested the government of Japan for another project-type technical cooperation to help develop the economy by reforming its oil-reliant economic structure and by prioritizing the development of export industries such as manufacturing.

For further development of vocational capability in Indonesia and sustainability of CEVEST, the government of Japan implemented a Diploma 3 (D3: 3 qualification for junior college graduates) training course, which targets instructors at the 153 vocational training centers (BLK) under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Manpower, and established a skill improvement training course for employees at private-sector companies in the fields of machinery, electronics and electricity.

(1) Overall Goal
To raise CEVEST’s functions and train technicians in the fields of information processing and industrial electronics.

(2) Project Purpose
1) To establish instructor training courses in the fields of industrial electronics and information processing at the D3 level.
2) To establish a training system to upgrade the technical skills of personnel of private companies in the fields of electricity, electronics, and machinery.

(3) Outputs
1) D3 instructors are trained.
2) Employees are trained in plan management.

(4) Inputs

Japanese side:

(1) Impact
After the completion of the Project, the CEVEST became recognized as Indonesia’s center for advanced technical training. In 2000 it was elevated to the status of an echelon II training organization. Formerly a technical training institution, it was now a high-level educational institution, regarded as an authoritative training center in the employee’s training field.

Over the six years after the end of the Project, CEVEST received 2,274 participants from private companies for its 1 to 2 week long advanced level programs, which is one of CEVEST’s primary activities. It also trained 1,206 people in its three-month first level training courses. In a special program, CEVEST trained 6,307 employees of private companies before they were sent overseas for practical training, as well as 600 people before they left for employment overseas. As the graph below shows, CEVEST experienced no problems for three years after the Project was completed, but after 2000 the numbers of trainees began falling due to administrative reforms, stagnant economy and failure to keep up with technical advances in technology and equipment, and the impact of the Project declined.

Number of Trainees in Training for Private Companies

(2) Sustainability
In 1998, CEVEST was recognized as Indonesia’s center for advanced technical training, and in 2000 it was promoted to the status of an echelon II training organization. Currently, it has 101 employees, including 42 instructors. Out of the 25 counterparts who received training in Japan, 19 are still employed at CEVEST, and the retention rate is relatively high.

The transferred technology is shared, as demonstrated by instructors who served as counterparts, and in turn teach instructors who were not counterparts. Newly hired instructors receive technology training from the senior instructors. CEVEST has sustained the technology transferred in the Project.

While most of the equipment procured during the Project are still operable, some are not due to lack of spare parts. Software and hardware for the information processing have gone out of date, and trainees from private companies are dissatisfied because they cannot use the techniques they learn at CEVEST in their routine work.

CEVEST’s activities are funded by the government, and the recurring expenses are just enough to cover the minimum operating expenses every year. CEVEST collects training fees from private companies, which help cover about 5% of the annual fiscal budget. The limited budget restricts the scope of CEVEST’s activities.

In 2000, the BLK / BLKI (Regional Training Center for Industry and Service) was placed under the jurisdiction of the regional government as a result of state and provincial administrative reforms, under the regional devolution plan. The D3 course, in which CEVEST had trained instructors in regional training centers while under the control of the central government, was cancelled under the regional administrative system.

CEVEST must improve the technical skills of its own instructors to keep up with the technological advances, but financial limitations prevent it from doing so. Partly for this reason, in the fields of electronic engineering and information processing, commissions from private companies for training in electronic engineering have been decreasing. Since the end of the Project, CEVEST has only be able to sustain its basic technical skills courses aimed for private companies personnel.

(1) Factors Concerning the Planning
N/A

(2) Factors Concerning the Implementation Process
CEVEST was once recognized as a skilled center for advanced training in Indonesia, and it had gained the trust of private companies and other institutions. Accordingly, the number of trainees was stable directly after the project was completed. However, the economic crisis and administrative reforms prevented CEVEST from maintaining the same number of trainees in the subsequent years.

(1) Factors Concerning the Planning
N/A

(2) Factors Concerning the Implementation Process
1) Due to economic conditions after the economic crisis, the number of trainees participating in technical training from private companies has decreased.
2) CEVEST must improve its instructors’ technical skills to keep up with the technological advancements, but this is not done due to fiscal limitations. Since it is not possible for the instructors to train in the latest technology, requests from private companies for training in electronic engineering have decreased.

CEVEST is recognized as Indonesia’s center for advanced technical training, and it was promoted to the status of an echelon II training organization. CEVEST had educated technicians satisfactorily. However, the number of technicians educated has decreased since 2000 due to administrative reforms, the economic slump, and being unable to keep up with the technological advancements. CEVEST should resolve these problems by examining activities it can undertake within the scope of its current human and technical resources.

To develop technical training courses that will meet companies’ needs, CEVEST should consider cooperating in research and technology with other research organizations and major private companies.

The Project was planned on the premise of certain budgetary steps being carried out by the government of Indonesia, in order to implement training courses at CEVEST. However, the influence of the economic crisis undermined that premise.

For future planning of projects, considerations should be made to incorporate schemes that will allow for independence to be achieved in phases, in line with economic changes.

N/A