Center at Jakarta maritime university opens Tuesday; aims to train 240 specialists by 2029

Curriculum covers installation, decommissioning and maintenance to help Korean firms secure local workers

This image is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]
This image is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]

South Korea is establishing a training hub in Indonesia to cultivate local specialists needed by Korean offshore plant service companies expanding into Southeast Asia. The center aims to produce around 240 skilled workers by 2029, helping Korean firms secure local talent and strengthen their competitiveness in winning contracts.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Monday it will open the Korea-Indonesia Offshore Plant Service Industry Joint Training Center — known as the KIOS Center — at Jakarta Maritime University, which is under Indonesia's Ministry of Transportation, on Tuesday.

Demand has been growing across Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, for the safe and environmentally sound decommissioning of aging offshore plant facilities or their conversion to other uses. The work requires specialized skills, but trained workers remain in short supply.

Korean companies already operating in the region have struggled to secure the workforce they need. Local regulations require firms to hire a set proportion of workers from the host country, meaning companies must find qualified local personnel on the ground.

To address this, the ministry has been working with the industry-academia-research ETRS (Education Technology Research Support) Center at Korea Maritime and Ocean University since last year to negotiate the establishment of a joint training center with Indonesia's Ministry of Transportation.

The KIOS Center will provide training in offshore plant installation and decommissioning processes, maintenance of key equipment and components, and cargo operations — all in an environment that closely mirrors actual work sites. Through hands-on training and degree programs, the center plans to produce around 240 specialists by 2029.

The center is being developed as part of an Official Development Assistance project titled "Strengthening Indonesia's Eco-Friendly Offshore Plant Service Industry Capacity." The project runs from last year through 2029, with a total budget of 4.36 billion won ($3.26 million).

"Through the KIOS Center, we will proactively secure a pool of skilled workers to ease the burden Korean companies face in the localization process, including labor supply issues," said Seo Jeong-ho, director general for ocean policy at the ministry. "We will actively support Korean companies in enhancing their contract competitiveness and successfully carrying out overseas projects."


adastra@heraldcorp.com