The Hasanuddin University Professional Certification Body (LSP) and the Hasanuddin University Faculty of Engineering (FT-Unhas) held an audience on the implementation and strengthening of the competency certification schemes of the Construction Services Development Institute (LPJK) for Faculty of Engineering students. The event took place in the Meeting Room of the Insinyur Building, Unhas Faculty of Engineering, on Tuesday (10 February).
The audience was a strategic step in preparing Unhas Faculty of Engineering graduates who are not only academically excellent but also hold recognized professional competence through competency certificates before entering the workforce.
Dean of the Unhas Faculty of Engineering, Prof. Muhammad Isran Ramli, said in the opening remarks that the Faculty of Engineering in principle welcomes the existence and role of the Unhas LSP. According to Prof. Isran Ramli, the Unhas LSP will greatly help in facilitating students to hold standardized competency qualifications before graduating.
“Going forward, we are working to make it mandatory for Unhas Faculty of Engineering students to hold a competency certificate from the Unhas LSP before they complete their studies. This is part of strengthening graduate quality,” said Isran Ramli.
On the technical side of certification fees, the Dean of FT-Unhas explained that the financing scheme will still be discussed further. Competency certification falls outside the single tuition fee (UKT) component under the latest regulations, so further coordination is needed between faculty leaders, particularly the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, and the Unhas LSP to formulate an appropriate financing scheme that does not burden students.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Unhas LSP Center, Mukti Ali, Ph.D., stressed the importance of competency certificates as added value for graduates. There are currently a number of LPJK certification schemes already aligned with the needs of Faculty of Engineering students.
“Today we are socializing 85 certification schemes together with LPJK. Graduates are expected to hold a competency certificate before graduating, because it will increase their competitiveness in the job market,” explained Mukti Ali.
Mukti Ali also added that the Unhas LSP continues to look for a certification financing formula that is lighter and does not burden students. In addition, some certification schemes require certain training, which in the future could be organized by study programs, while the Unhas LSP would act as the examining body.
On the same occasion, Scheme Manager of the Unhas LSP, Prof. Sri Purwanti, gave a detailed explanation of the LPJK certification schemes. Of the 85 schemes available, 47 level 6 schemes are considered the most relevant for use by study programs in the Faculty of Engineering, while the other schemes can be further adapted by each study program.
Prof. Sri Purwanti also said that schemes that do not yet have assessors could in the future be filled by recruiting Faculty of Engineering lecturers as assessors. The number of assessors in engineering is currently considered sufficient, both under LSP P3 and the Unhas LSP, so implementing the certification schemes can very feasibly proceed soon.
“We will also share the list of existing LPJK schemes so they can be adjusted to the needs of each study program. In addition, a number of engineering schemes are also in the process of being submitted to the National Professional Certification Authority (BNSP) for verification in order to expand the scope,” Prof. Sri Purwanti explained.
It was further stated that students who will take part in certification as assessees must have passed all courses that are basic requirements under the provisions of each scheme.
The audience is expected to be a starting point for strengthening synergy between the Unhas LSP and the Unhas Faculty of Engineering in producing graduates who are competent, certified, and ready to compete at the national and global levels. (*/lspuh)
Editor: Ishaq Rahman
This article is an English translation of the original Indonesian report.