Successful in Bringing SMEs Go Global, Pertamina to Host UMK Academy 2024 Again

Jakarta, April 24, 2024 - Not only supplying energy to the public, PT Pertamina (Persero) continues to support Micro and Small Enterprises (SMEs), which drives the national economy. This year, Pertamina is holding UMK Academy 2024 again to recruit and develop SMEs to enhance productivity and progress faster.

"Since its first edition in 2020, the enthusiasm among SMEs to participate in this event kept increasing annually. Through UMK Academy, Pertamina successfully helped thousands of SMEs progress through Go Digital, Go Online, Go Modern, and even Go Global initiatives. We hope that UMK Academy 2024 will attract many SME participants from all over Indonesia," said Fajriyah Usman, Vice President of CSR & SMEPP Management of Pertamina, in Jakarta.

Under the theme "New Energy Towards Advancing SMEs," Pertamina, through UMK Academy 2024, is committed to supporting sustainable SME development to optimize SME empowerment. It follows the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) point 8, which focuses on inclusive and sustainable economic growth and full and productive employment.

"We hope that the presence of UMK Academy 2024 will inject new energy into SMEs so they can continue to grow and advance, benefiting both the community and the surrounding environment. We aim not only for success domestically but also for the ability to compete in the international market and contribute to the national economy," Fajriyah expressed.

Registration for UMK Academy is open from April 21 to April 30, 2024. SMEs from all over Indonesia can register for the program through the link https://bit.ly/PendaftaranUMKAcademy2024.

Lasting for 5 to 6 months, with various coaching and training activities, UMK Academy will be conducted in a hybrid manner. Subsequently, participants who are selected will complete the program by December 2024.

Pertamina's UMK Academy coaching program is structured, tiered, and integrated according to market needs, trends, and challenges.

It starts from self-learning through e-learning, short courses, mentoring, coaching, socialization, certification, UMK Champion curation, and UMK Aggregator competition (Pertapreneur Aggregator).

The program involves experts in their respective fields. Pertamina's UMK Academy is based on four development curricula: Go Modern, Go Digital, Go Online, and Go Global, integrating the principle of Go Green in each program.

In addition to mentoring, training, and certification, other benefits for UMK Academy participants who complete the program include grants for appropriate production technology totaling hundreds of millions of rupiah for the Champions.

After completing the program, SMEs can utilize the theories and practices acquired to support business progress. It is hoped this will improve SMEs' quality, capacity, and self-reliance, enabling them to compete locally and in the global market.

Fadjar Djoko Santoso, Vice President of Corporate Communication of Pertamina, added that the UMK Academy program aligns with Pertamina's commitment to driving the Indonesian economy by enhancing SMEs' capabilities to create high-quality products and professional SME management. "As Pertamina's annual program, the high enthusiasm of SMEs to participate and improve the quality of their products reflects extraordinary potential. We hope that UMK Academy 2024 will produce even more successful SMEs than previous programs," Fadjar explained.

Meanwhile, Sriyati, the owner of Padma Bakery and one of the champions of Pertamina's UMK Academy 2023 Go Modern stated that she greatly benefited from participating in this program.

"The benefits are significant. Previously, I couldn't manage finances, but now I can. I did not know about social media before, but now I understand, and my products can be promoted on Instagram and other platforms. I am happy because I received equipment assistance from Pertamina," she explained.

That entrepreneur from Central Java revealed that the Rp30 million grant she received from Pertamina was used to purchase a baking oven and other supporting equipment. The presence of this equipment has helped her business grow, as she can produce more pastries, doubling her business turnover.

The increase in production also led to the increasing number of employees from 3 to 7. She expressed no regrets about participating in the Pertamina UMK Academy program. She even encourages other SMEs who want to progress and upgrade their businesses to take advantage of this program.

"I recommend SMEs to participate in Pertamina's UMK Academy because the benefits are extraordinary. It can propel us forward, make us smarter in digital marketing," she emphasized.

Pertamina is committed to supporting sustainable SME development to optimize SME development. Previously, 1,802 SMEs graduated from the UMK Academy program initiated by Pertamina from 2020 to 2023. Consisting of 357 Go Modern SMEs, 747 Go Online SMEs, 414 Go Digital SMEs, and 284 Go Global SMEs.

These SME entrepreneurs are from various sectors such as agriculture, livestock farming, crafts, plantations, culinary, fashion, and other sectors.

Pertamina, as a leading company in the energy transition, is committed to supporting the Net Zero Emission 2060 target by continuously promoting programs that directly impact the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement. All these efforts align with Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) implementation across all Pertamina's business lines and operations.**