In the context of initiating collaboration between the Diponegoro University Vocational School and the Directorate General of Plantations, Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, the Industrial Chemical Engineering Technology Study Program (TRKI) together with the Mechanical Design Engineering (RPM) study program held a Guest Lecture with the theme “Downstream Plantation Commodities and Challenges in the Future” on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. This activity invited resource persons from the Director General of Plantations, Andi Nur Alam Syah, S.TP, M.T., represented by the Director of Plantations Protection, Ir. Hendratmojo Bagus Hudoro, M.Sc.
The activity was moderated by Didik Ariwibowo, S.T., M.T. from the Mechanical Design Engineering (RPM) study program. It was packaged excitingly so that the students of both study programs were enthusiastic about listening and asking questions. One of the critical aspects of this guest lecture was related to the Palm Oil Plantation Human Resources Development Program (SDMPKS) delivered by the Director. Bagus, his nickname, said that there are 2 main focus activities for SDMPKS, namely in the form of vocational level scholarships and undergraduate level (S1) palm oil study program, as well as technical training, managerial training, entrepreneurship training, and other training.
Chair of the Undip Vocational School TRKI Study Program, Mohamad Endy Julianto, S.T., M.T., said that the initiation of this collaboration cannot be separated from the development of the SDMPKS program, which requires prospective educational partners who are competent or skilled in the field of palm oil and its derivatives. “Undip’s Vocational TRKI & RPM Study Programs are study programs of the tertiary institutions chosen by the Directorate General of Plantations because of the competence of the lecturers and staff in addition to all the lecturers also being competency assessors. Our study program happens to be in accordance with the SDMPKS development program launched by the Director General of Plantations,” said Endy, his nickname, when met at the Undip Vocational Campus.
The suitability of the SDMPKS program is based on the curriculum at TRKI, which has implemented a Dual System with a concentration on 3 elective subjects, including tiered palm oil and oleochemicals so that if this program is realized, it is hoped that in the future the Undip Vocational TRKI Study Program will become a pioneer and competent education as a training system Oleopagan & Oleochemicals in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the Chair of the Undip Vocational School RPM Study Program, Sri Utami Handayani S.T., M.T., when met at her office, also said that this program was extraordinary because it aimed to increase the knowledge, skills, attitudes, professionalism, independence & competitiveness of palm oil stakeholders; as well as improving the technical, managerial and entrepreneurial abilities of palm oil stakeholders. Therefore, the RPM Study Program fully encourages this oil palm-based collaboration class scholarship program to be realized at the Undip Vocational School.
When asked if this program could be realized at Undip Vocational School, Endy answered that the detailed implementation was currently still in process. The realization still depends on the selection results by the SDMPKS assessors and verifiers. Endy added that several stages that must be gone through include selection and determination of educational institutions (BPDPKS), announcement, assignment, identification of needs and verification, technical recommendation, decision of participants who receive SDMPKS academic scholarships and confirmation of participant attendance.
However, what was immensely encouraging was the follow-up to the guest lecture, with the invitation for a presentation and discussion from the Dean of the Undip Vocational School, Prof. Dr. Ir. Budiyono M.Si. with his team at the Office of the Director General of Plantations, Ministry of Agriculture on October 4, 2024. This activity was attended by the Director General of Plantations, Director of Plantations Protection, Director of Palm Oil & Various Palm Crops, Director of Fund Distribution-BPDPKS and his staff. The Director General explained strengthening the governance of smallholder oil palm plantations so that they become sustainable palm oil plantations. “Discussions have begun to focus on the development of the SDMPKS program, such as the development of Palm Oil-Based Cooperation Classes with TRKI applied S1, RPM applied S1, TRKI applied S2, training organizers and research initiatives,” concluded Prof. Budiyono.
