Jakarta, Oct. 17 -- Deputy Minister of Manpower Afriansyah Noor said the National Internship Program is a strategic initiative to prepare skilled Indonesian workers ready to compete in the industrial sector.

He noted that public enthusiasm for the program shows growing trust in internships as an effective way to build competence and gain hands-on experience.

"Since the program was launched, public and business interest has been remarkable. This shows that internships are increasingly seen as an effective tool to develop skilled and experienced workers," Afriansyah said in a statement on Thursday.

A total of 156,159 applicants have registered for the first batch of the 2025 National Internship Program, with 1,668 companies participating...