Mismatch As a Strategy: Working-Class Youth and the Precarious Labour Market in Indonesia

Unemployment is a significant issue faced by Indonesian youth. According to our national data, Indonesia’s youth unemployment rate (46 per cent) is substantially higher than the global average (17 per cent) (Badan Pusat Statistik, 2023; World Bank, 2023). Young people living in urban contexts constitute the majority of this unemployed group (Badan Pusat Statistik, 2023). To address the youth unemployment problem, the Indonesian government has placed a significant emphasis on vocational schools. Over the last decades, a number of policies have been introduced by the government to improve both quantity and quality of Indonesian vocational schools. Despite being government’s priority, vocational graduates continue to contribute the most to the national unemployment rate (Badan Pusat Statistik, 2020). Previous studies also indicate that graduation from vocational school does not seem to increase the employment opportunity of vocational graduates (ACDP, 2013; Chen, 2009). Focusing on vocational graduates in Indonesia, my research seeks to understand how young people navigate the disconnection between their schooling and employment experiences. I did semi-structure interview with 40 vocational graduates about their transitions from vocational schools to the labour market. Due to the limited number of jobs, I found the significant number of young people who work in the fields that are different from their training in vocational schools, the phenomenon usually refers to as job mismatch. Rather of viewing career mismatch as a passive response to the precarious condition in the labour market, my research highlighted it as an active strategy used by young people to navigate their transitions during uncertain times. This finding contributes to existing debates in sociology regarding the role of agency and structures in youth transitions.