InfoSAWIT, BEKASI – Indonesia’s palm oil industry will need more than higher productivity and advanced technology to remain competitive. It will also require skilled professionals capable of adapting to rapid changes across the plantation sector.
That message was highlighted by Nugroho Kristono, Director of Politeknik Kelapa Sawit Citra Widya Edukasi (Poltek Sawit CWE), during the graduation ceremony for the institution’s fourth cohort of Applied Bachelor graduates and 18th cohort of Associate Degree graduates in Bekasi, West Java, on Sunday (Sept 27, 2026).
The ceremony marked the graduation of 248 students from five study programs, with graduates expected to enter the industry equipped not only with technical skills but also with the ability to contribute through innovation and professional expertise.
Nugroho said graduation should not be viewed as the end of the learning process. As plantation technology and business dynamics continue to evolve, graduates need to continuously strengthen their competencies and remain adaptable.
“Never stop learning, improving your competencies and developing life skills so that you remain relevant and globally competitive,” Nugroho said.
Beyond Technical Skills
The palm oil industry requires professionals across a wide range of disciplines, including crop cultivation, processing, logistics management, production technology and software development.
For vocational graduates, technical competence therefore needs to be complemented by integrity, professional ethics and soft skills required in the workplace.
Nugroho also encouraged graduates to view the palm oil sector not merely as a place to build individual careers, but as an industry where they can contribute to broader transformation.
Innovation and practical solutions, he said, will be increasingly important in supporting a more sustainable palm oil industry while creating benefits for communities.
Preparing Human Resources for 2045
The development of skilled human resources is closely linked to Indonesia’s long-term ambition toward the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.
Nugroho noted that the graduates beginning their professional careers today could reach important stages of their careers when Indonesia marks the 100th anniversary of independence in 2045.
“It is on your shoulders that, 19 years from now, when you reach the peak of your careers and Indonesia celebrates its 100th anniversary of independence in 2045, the progress of Indonesia’s palm oil sector will be demonstrated,” he said.
Poltek Sawit CWE has also strengthened its human-resource development ecosystem through cooperation with various stakeholders, including the Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP) under Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance and the Directorate General of Plantations at the Ministry of Agriculture.
The institution has also worked with professional certification bodies, including the Indonesian Plantation and Horticulture Professional Certification Institute (LSP PHI) and the Professional Certification Institute for Engineering and Industrial Management (LSP TMI).
Such certification is intended to strengthen graduates’ recognition of skills needed by the plantation industry.
Stronger Industry-Academia Link
Industry partnerships are another important component of the vocational education model at Poltek Sawit CWE. Cooperation with partner companies includes internship opportunities as well as potential employment pathways for graduates.
Nugroho urged alumni to maintain the reputation of their institution through professionalism and integrity while continuing to develop their capabilities.
For Poltek Sawit CWE, the graduation of 248 students represents more than an academic ceremony. It forms part of a longer-term effort to prepare professional talent for Indonesia’s palm oil plantations and supporting industries.
With continuously updated competencies, the graduates are expected to contribute to technological development, productivity, governance and sustainability across Indonesia’s palm oil industry as the sector moves toward 2045. (T2)
Source: InfoSAWIT
