INDUSTRY.co.id - Makassar - The construction sector is a high-risk sector related to safety and health for both workers and the community. Competence and discipline of Human Resources (HR) construction becomes one of the important factors to reduce the level of construction accidents.

Minister of Public Works and People's Housing Basuki Hadimuljono said the government's development priority for the last 4 years is infrastructure development. In 2018 and 2019, the Government prioritizes the development of Indonesian human resources.

"As we know that the era of industry 4.0 is the era of digitalization, where it takes the competition of innovation and expertise, it needs strengthening of human resource development in Higher Education, Polytechnic, Pesantren and Vocational School," said Minister Basuki some time ago.

To support the development of construction human resources, the Ministry of PUPR through the Directorate General of Construction in cooperation with Hasanuddin University, Ujung Pandang State Polytechnic, Construction Service Development Agency of South Sulawesi Province, BPJS Employment and the Occupational Safety and Health Expert Association Construction sector (A2K4) and workshop of Junior Expert of Occupational Safety and Health (K3) Construction which was attended by about 1,200 students in Makassar on June 2, 2018.

In this activity, students are also introduced Distance Learning method, where students can improve their competence through the Independent Self Development Learning Information Center portal / SIBIMA (sibima.pu.go.id) independently, to then they can directly follow the test and certification in LPJK.

"Through the training of Distance Learning K3 young experts, students are expected to have K3 competency and can accelerate the fulfillment of the needs of Occupational Safety Experts in construction work", said Director General of Construction, Syarif Burhanuddin, when delivering general course materials.

Ujung Pandang State Polytechnic Director Hamzah Yusuf expressed appreciation of this activity for being a good effort so that students can improve their competence skills to be ready for work.

The appreciation was also conveyed by the Dean of Hasanuddin University Faculty of Engineering, Arsyad Taha, who said that the improvement of student competence in South Sulawesi region through the activities of Distance Learning K3 Young Experts is a strategic step to respond to the openness of the ASEAN Economic Community (MEA) and the invasion of foreign workers to the construction market Indonesia.

More and more Young Experts in the field of Occupational Health and Safety can contribute to the implementation of construction that prioritizes safety and health. In addition, it shows that Indonesian workers are able to compete with foreign construction workers both in their own country and in other countries.

The students are students who take the course of Architecture, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Environmental Engineering from various campuses in Makassar City such as Hasanuddin University, Ujung Pandang State Polytechnic, UNM, UMI, UIM, UIN Alauddin, Bosowa University, Fajar University, Muhammadiyah University Makassar, Pepabri University Makassar.