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West Sumatran SMK International Expo Connects Students with Industry
WINDONESIA August 29, 2024
Closing of West Sumatran Vocational High School International Expo 2024. (Kudus Regency)
The 2024 West Sumatran SMK International Expo was officially closed at Medan Nan Bapaneh Ngalau Indah Field in Payakumbuh City, West Sumatra Province. The event, which was held on August 7-11, was attended by thousands of visitors.
The collaborative performance of traditional music, with percussion including differing types of tambua from the province's various regions, and the performance of Kaba Sabai nan Aluih by students from various vocational high schools ended the historic event where, for the first time, products from several vocational high schools were exhibited to potential buyers and investors.
"On behalf of the West Sumatra Province Education Office, I would like to express my gratitude to West Sumatra DPRD (Regional Legislative Council) Speaker Supardi for initiating the expo and channeling funds so that it could be held," West Sumatra Education Office's Vocational High School Division Head Ariswan stated on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024.
"So far, vocational schools have received less attention. [While] in fact, vocational schools should be the birthplace of innovators," he added.
Ariswan assessed that the Expo has succeeded in introducing various innovations produced by vocational high schools in West Sumatra, and in connecting them with the domestic and foreign industrial field.
Thus, he hopes that the Expo will continue to be held and developed.
"Hopefully our DPRD representatives would also pay great attention to vocational schools," Ariswan said.
The 2024 West Sumatran Vocational High Schools International Expo was attended by 82 vocational high schools throughout West Sumatra. Their products are then curated 10 teams of experts from various backgrounds and expertise into a list of 225 products on display at the Expo.
For example, a virtual reality product which educates about traditional Minangkabau clothing by Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan Negeri (state vocational high school/SMKN) 4 Payakumbuh, electronic products such as Smart Home designed by SMKN 2 Payakumbuh, to various fashion products that showcases local wisdom.
Digital-based business players and investors from Germany, Malaysia, and Thailand as well as representatives of companies from Indonesia's industrial centers attended the Expo in person, while others attended online.
"Our goal is to connect vocational high schools with the domestic and foreign industrial field. So far, the works of vocational school students tend to have limited circulation," West Sumatran Vocational High Schools International Expo 2024 Experts Team Coordinator Sepris Yornaldi stated.
"We want those works to be introduced to buyers and investors from Indonesia and abroad through the expo," he added.
Meanwhile, 18 representatives from several domestic and foreign companies also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the West Sumatra Education Office to build cooperation and connections between vocational high schools and the wider business world.
Sepris said that the Expo is also expected to create chances for collaboration between vocational high schools in designing innovative and digital-based products, as well as to share knowledge. A Coaching Clinic and a series of discussions related to digital-based product development were also held throughout the event.
Based on interviews with teachers and students who participated in the activity, several prospective buyers and investors were interested in collaborating with vocational schools that have the same vision and orientation.
"After signing the MoU, we will continue to develop products while maintaining relations with the foreign and domestic industrial field," Sepris revealed.
The West Sumatra Education Office and a team of experts will also continue to connect with digital-based creative industry players to expand the reach of innovative products from various vocational high schools, which have so far have been only circulated in select environments.
Ranti Adina Sari, a software development teacher at SMKN 4 Payakumbuh explained that vocational high school products have so far been separated from the market because there have been no special activities to showcase them like West Sumatra Vocational High Schools International Expo 2024.
Ranti and the students who developed virtual reality, websites, and applications have now established contacts with several companies. One of their products that is in demand is the Bucket-SMK website, which collects various innovative products that are presented to both domestic entrepreneurs and foreign companies.
Separately, SMKN 2 Payakumbuh students' Smart House concept is one where household appliances, such as lights and switches, have been developed in a way that many - from the government agencies, several companies, to the general public - are interested in buying. They have also have begun exploring cooperation with potential investors from several companies.
"In the future, the expo is planned to be held routinely every year," Sepris divulged.
This expo has been prepared since 2022. In collaboration with the West Sumatra Culture Office, Supardi budgeted public aspiration (Pokir) funds for a series of technical guidance on digitalization of education, especially for vocational high schools.
Source: www.cnnindonesia.com