Politeknik Negeri Jember (Polije) conducted a strategic visit to PT PAL Indonesia (Persero) in Surabaya to finalize the refinement of the Rencana Pembelajaran Vokasi (RPV) for the Structured Internship program. The visit was facilitated by Swisscontact through its Skills for Competitiveness (SS4C) program, ensuring the curriculum aligns with national vocational transformation efforts.

Polije was represented by Dicky Adi, Coordinator of the Electrical Engineering Technology (TET) Study Program, and Ir. Irwan Nari, Secretary of the Engineering Department. The visit focused on strengthening academic–industry alignment and ensuring the internship meets the competency standards required by the national defense and maritime industry.

Dicky Adi affirmed that the Structured Internship RPV is fully prepared. He highlighted the consistent absorption of Polije graduates by PT PAL, proving the effectiveness of Polije’s vocational training.

“The Structured Internship RPV is completely ready. Notably, Polije TET alumni for two consecutive years have been successfully recruited by PT PAL after their internship period. This serves as a strong indicator of our curriculum’s alignment with the needs of the maritime industry sector,” stated Dicky Adi.

While the current cycle’s internship is implemented over 4.5 months, Polije and PT PAL agreed to implement a 6-month structured internship starting next year, consistent with SS4C’s recommendation.

SS4C pointed out that the 6-month duration is crucial for optimal immersion. “Implementing a 6-month internship is vital because it provides sufficient time for students to gain optimal immersion in the complex shipbuilding industry environment. This enhances technical competency and deepens the understanding of the corporate culture, in line with the SS4C framework,” explained SS4C.

PT PAL expressed interest in offering employment contracts to two of the four Polije students currently participating in the internship pilot project, based on their positive performance evaluation.

“Based on the performance evaluation we received, we are interested in offering employment contracts to two Polije students currently interning after their graduation. This demonstrates that Polije’s training outcomes are highly compatible with the high standards we require in the national strategic industry,” asserted the PT PAL Representative.

Both institutions agreed to renew the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize continuous collaboration, including the development of applied engineering projects. The outcomes of this visit will be integrated into the final RPV document guiding the implementation of the internship in the upcoming academic year.