Malang, en.SERU.co.id – Politeknik Negeri Malang (Polinema) graduated 469 students at the 73rd Commencement Stage I of 2026 on Saturday, August 29, 2026. The vocational campus is strengthening its strategies so that graduate competencies match the needs of the workforce and industry.
Polinema Director Ir Supriatna Adhisuwignjo ST MT said around 85 percent of graduates from the previous cohort have already obtained employment. Some other graduates chose to become entrepreneurs or continue their education to the next level.
“That figure is based on data collection up to August. The overall data for 2026 graduates is still in process, so it cannot yet be called a final number. The most important thing is that we continuously update on campus so that we remain relevant to what exists in the world of work, business and industry,” Supriatna said.
He noted that changes in technology and the business world mean that workforce competency needs continue to evolve. This condition has driven Polinema to adjust its curriculum and learning processes periodically.
The adjustments cover technological developments, 21st-century competencies, soft skills and the formation of student character. Program evaluation is carried out every year, while large-scale evaluation is conducted every four or five years.
“Learning adjustments are applied from the time students enter lectures until they approach graduation. These steps are directed so that graduate competencies remain relevant to the needs of the industrial world,” he stated.
Expanding Job Access Through Job Fairs
In addition to updating competencies, Polinema is expanding graduates’ access to the world of work through job fairs. The campus is targeting at least four job fair activities throughout 2026.
Supriatna said one job fair has already been held, with the next planned for September and continued in the following months. Recruitment information from companies is also conveyed to graduates whenever there is a need for workers. These efforts are aimed at helping graduates who have not yet obtained employment.
“The majority of companies participating in the job fairs come from industries operating in Indonesia. A number of multinational companies with foreign investment status have also opened recruitment opportunities,” he said.
Supriatna gave the example of a company from China operating in the Morowali area that once took part in a recruitment activity at Polinema. However, to date there has been no direct recruitment cooperation with companies that recruit from overseas.
Preparing an Entrepreneurship Pathway
Polinema does not only direct graduates to work in companies but also provides space for students on an entrepreneurship pathway through learning, training and business incubation. One form of guidance is through the Student Activity Unit (UKM) or Student Business USMA, so that students can develop business skills through organizations, training and mentoring.
“Entrepreneurship courses are compulsory in all study programs with a minimum weight of two credits. Students receive provision to prepare a business plan before developing a business idea. The program is strengthened through business incubation by submitting business proposals to be selected by the Polinema business incubator team,” he explained.
Proposals assessed as feasible can obtain initial capital support according to business needs and the campus budget capacity. The assistance value is in the range of Rp10 million to Rp15 million, and a number of proposals have even received support of up to Rp25 million.
According to Supriatna, the assistance is given as initial capital for students to practice running a business. The amount of assistance considers the budget plan, capital needs, selection results and budget availability.
“Mentoring is continued through entrepreneurship expos to introduce student products to the public. A number of products assessed as feasible can be utilized for internal campus needs, such as merchandise in various Polinema activities,” explained the two-term Director of Polinema.
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469 Graduates Conferred
At the 73rd Commencement Stage I of 2026, a total of 469 graduates were conferred from the main Polinema campus and the PSDKU Pamekasan. They came from Applied Master’s, Applied Bachelor’s, Diploma III and Diploma II levels, with the following details:
- 8 Applied Master’s graduates
- 272 Applied Bachelor’s graduates
- 168 Diploma III graduates
- 5 Diploma II graduates
“Meanwhile from PSDKU Pamekasan there are 12 Applied Bachelor’s graduates and 4 Diploma III graduates,” he added.
Polinema recorded 26 graduates with cum laude and best predicates. In addition, 359 graduates obtained the cum laude predicate from their respective departments or study programs.
The commencement was attended by four international students from South Sudan and Gambia. They came from several study programs, including Production and Maintenance Mechanical Engineering, Management Accounting, and English for Business and Professional Communication.
Nine other students were participants in Joint Degree programs with Management & Science University Malaysia, Shandong University of Science and Technology China, and Shenyang Aerospace University China.
There were also 25 graduates from industry cooperation programs who entered PT Candra Asri Pacific Tbk., PT Bukit Asam Tbk., and PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia Tbk.
Supriatna said vocational education is not enough merely to produce graduates with diplomas. Graduates need to have competencies, experience, certification, character and the ability to adapt to changing industry needs.
“These efforts form part of strengthening vocational education to support human resource needs and industrial development towards the vision of Golden Indonesia 2045,” he concluded. (ws15/rhd)
