Surabaya – The East Java Provincial Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) together with the Kadin Institute and PT Media Hati held a Halal Bihalal event themed “Self-Transformation in the Spirit of Silaturahmi: Working with Heart, Serving with Competence” at the Santika Premiere Gubeng Hotel Hall, Surabaya, on Saturday (March 28, 2026).

The event served not only as a post-Eid al-Fitr gathering, but also as a platform to promote the improvement of human resources (HR) quality through competency certification among industry players.

Chairman of Kadin East Java, Adik Dwi Putranto, stated that the annual event serves as an important momentum to strengthen collaboration amid global uncertainty affecting both the business sector and employment.

“Especially in the current global situation, we aim to strengthen ties, enhance collaboration, and reinforce consolidation,” said Adik.

He noted that today’s global challenges require industries to be more adaptive, particularly in preparing a competent workforce. According to him, the success of the government’s downstreaming (industrialization) programs—both in the food and energy sectors—largely depends on the quality of human resources.

“The government’s priority is clearly on downstreaming, both in food and energy sectors. Around 60–70 percent of its success is determined by human resources,” he added.

Meanwhile, Vice Chairwoman for Human Resources and Manpower of Kadin East Java, who also serves as Director of the Kadin Institute, Nurul Indah Susanti, emphasized the importance of competency certification as a strategic step to enhance workforce productivity.

She explained that the event aims to encourage and motivate industry players to actively implement certification programs for their employees.

“The goal is to boost, encourage, and motivate industry players to carry out competency certification. This is crucial, because when workers possess technical competencies, productivity will increase. This is the moment we must fully utilize to build East Java together,” she said.

Furthermore, Commissioner of the National Professional Certification Agency (BNSP), Miftahul Azis, highlighted the significant challenges Indonesia faces in improving labor productivity. He revealed that out of 67 countries, Indonesia is currently ranked 46th.

“This condition shows that improving productivity remains a major homework for all of us,” said Miftahul.

He added that collaboration between industry, professional certification bodies (LSP), and assessors is key to addressing these challenges, particularly in East Java. He also pointed out the persistent issue of the skill gap and the lack of optimal alignment (link and match) between education and industry needs.

“Our challenge in employment lies in the existing skill gap and the lack of link and match. Therefore, competency assessors must continue to enhance their capabilities in planning and conducting assessments. We must also pay attention to the development of emerging job sectors, including green jobs and technology-related fields,” he concluded.