Purworejo, Indonesia — The Paguyuban Keluarga Purworejo (PAKUWOJO) organized a vocational education outreach program for senior high school (SMA) and vocational high school (SMK) students across Purworejo Regency, highlighting the role of vocational education in developing skilled and job-ready human resources.
The program was held on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at the Purworejo Regency Hall, with the aim of introducing vocational higher education pathways that focus on practical skills, alignment with industry needs, and enhanced employment opportunities.
The event was attended by PAKUWOJO leaders, including Rendra Kusuma Wijaya, S.Pt., Chairman of PAKUWOJO; Dr. Romadi A. Kohar, S.E., M.M., Secretary General; and Drs. Suhardi, Vice Chairman. Also present were Prof. Istiningsih, a member of the PAKUWOJO Advisory Board and Vice Rector of Bhayangkara University, as well as Gigih Retno Wati, S.T., M.T., Coordinator for Maritime Affairs, Environment, and Agriculture at PAKUWOJO, who also serves as Head of the Bureau of Procurement and State Asset Management at the Ministry of Transportation.
Representing the local government, Purworejo Regent Hj. Yuli Hastuti, S.H., attended the event alongside Yudhie Agung Prihatno, S.STP., M.M., Head of the Purworejo Office of Education and Culture.
In her address, Regent Yuli Hastuti emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration between local governments and higher education institutions to expand access to vocational education for local communities.
She expressed hope that educational partnerships could enable young people in Purworejo to pursue higher education without having to leave their hometown, while positioning vocational education as a strategic driver of human resource development and regional growth.
From the Vocational School of Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP), Dr. Moh. Ridwan attended the program together with lecturers and alumni from the Naval Architecture program. In his presentation, he encouraged students to consider vocational higher education as a practical and industry-oriented pathway.
The event also featured Toto Wirawan, an alumnus of UNDIP’s Naval Architecture program and a native of Purworejo, who shared his career journey and highlighted the tangible contributions of vocational education to community empowerment, including boat-building training initiatives for local fishermen.
One of the key outcomes of the event was PAKUWOJO’s commitment to provide scholarships for students from Purworejo who are admitted to the Vocational School of Universitas Diponegoro. The initiative is expected to expand access to vocational higher education for talented students in the region.
In a separate statement, Prof. Budiyono, Dean of the Vocational School of Universitas Diponegoro, welcomed the initiative and expressed strong appreciation for the collaborative effort.
Through this program, PAKUWOJO, the Government of Purworejo Regency, and the Vocational School of UNDIP demonstrated a shared commitment to advancing vocational education as a foundation for inclusive and sustainable human resource development