Ministry of Labour enhances skills of people with disabilities for the labour market
The Ministry of Labour is optimizing its Specialized Training Centre for People with Disabilities to equip them with the skills needed for the labour market.
This initiative was announced by Minister of Labour Yassierli during the opening of the “Movement Awareness for People with Disabilities” training session for companies and civil servants in Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, West Java, on Friday, October 9, 2026.
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Training at the centre covers various fields, ranging from call centre work and sewing to barista skills. The centre also serves as a pilot project for assistive facilities and tools designed to create an inclusive work environment.
The simulated facilities include voice assistance systems and Braille reading devices. These accessibility features are intended to help people with disabilities perform tasks that align with their specific needs.
Yassierli emphasized that equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities constitute a civil right that must be realized through equal access to the labour market and competency-based assessments.
“Every citizen has the right to work and a decent life; this is a constitutional right. We want to transform the bleak situation faced by our brothers and sisters with disabilities into genuine hope and smiles, ensuring that their presence in the workplace is not a burden but rather adds value,” said Yassierli.
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People with disabilities entering the labour market
According to Yassierli, the skills developed during their training enable people with disabilities to enter the labour market. Companies are therefore expected to hire employees based on their capabilities and expertise, rather than out of pity.
“These are the skills we teach in training centers so that companies hire them based on competence rather than pity—which can actually evoke feelings of discomfort,” he said.
To promote equal opportunities in the labor market, the government has mandated that companies and government agencies hire people with disabilities. This requirement is enshrined in Law No. 8 of 2016 concerning persons with disabilities, which obliges private companies to ensure that at least 1 percent of their workforce consists of people with disabilities. Meanwhile, government agencies and state-owned enterprises are required to ensure that at least 2 percent of their staff are people with disabilities.
In addition to creating jobs, companies and government agencies must foster a work environment free from bullying and exclusion. This enables people with disabilities to work and make contributions that align with their competencies. ***
Kemnaker Asah Kompetensi Penyandang Disabilitas untuk Bekerja
Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan mengoptimalkan Balai Latihan Kerja Khusus Disabilitas untuk membekali penyandang disabilitas dengan keterampilan yang dibutuhkan di dunia kerja.
Upaya ini disampaikan Menteri Ketenagakerjaan Yassierli saat membuka Pembekalan Sensitivitas Tenaga Kerja Penyandang Disabilitas bagi Perusahaan dan Pegawai Aparatur Sipil Negara di Cikarang, Kabupaten Bekasi, Jawa Barat, Jumat, 9 Oktober 2026.
Pelatihan di balai tersebut mencakup sejumlah bidang, mulai dari operasional call center, menjahit, hingga barista. Balai ini juga menjadi percontohan fasilitas pendukung dan teknologi asistif untuk mendukung terciptanya lingkungan kerja yang inklusif.
Fasilitas yang disimulasikan mencakup teknologi pemandu suara (voice assistant) dan tampilan huruf Braille. Fasilitas aksesibilitas tersebut diharapkan membantu penyandang disabilitas menjalankan aktivitas kerja sesuai kebutuhan mereka.
Yassierli menegaskan, kesempatan kerja bagi penyandang disabilitas merupakan hak warga negara yang perlu diwujudkan melalui akses kerja yang setara dan penilaian berdasarkan kompetensi.
“Setiap warga negara berhak mendapatkan pekerjaan dan kehidupan yang layak, karena itu adalah amanat konstitusi kita. Kita ingin mengubah kondisi hopeless saudara-saudara disabilitas menjadi harapan dan senyum nyata, di mana kehadiran mereka di tempat kerja tidak boleh menjadi beban tetapi memberi nilai tambah,” ujar Yassierli.
Penyandang Disabilitas Memasuki Dunia Kerja
Menurut Yassierli, keterampilan yang diasah melalui pelatihan menjadi bekal bagi penyandang disabilitas untuk memasuki dunia kerja. Karena itu, perusahaan diharapkan merekrut pekerja berdasarkan kemampuan dan keahlian, bukan atas dasar rasa kasihan.
“Keahlian inilah yang kami asah di balai pelatihan agar perusahaan merekrut mereka berdasarkan kompetensi, bukan rasa kasihan yang justru memicu rasa tidak nyaman,” tuturnya.
Untuk memperluas kesempatan kerja yang setara, pemerintah telah menetapkan kewajiban bagi perusahaan dan instansi pemerintah untuk mempekerjakan penyandang disabilitas. Ketentuan ini diatur dalam Undang-Undang Nomor 8 Tahun 2016 tentang Penyandang Disabilitas, yang mewajibkan perusahaan swasta mempekerjakan paling sedikit 1 persen penyandang disabilitas dari jumlah pekerjanya. Sementara itu, instansi pemerintah dan badan usaha milik negara (BUMN) wajib mempekerjakan paling sedikit 2 persen penyandang disabilitas.
Selain membuka kesempatan kerja, perusahaan dan instansi pemerintah perlu menciptakan lingkungan kerja yang bebas dari perundungan (bullying) dan pengucilan. Dengan demikian, penyandang disabilitas dapat bekerja dan berkontribusi sesuai kompetensinya. ***rel
