Young, Educated Indonesians Are “Too Good” for the Industries That Actually Run Indonesia

It’s a tragic time for Indonesia’s fresh graduates. The startup fairy tale—where you got paid absurd amounts to sit in a trendy coworking space and “disrupt” something that didn’t need disrupting—has ended. The great high finance delusion—where everyone thought they’d be Jakarta’s answer to Goldman Sachs—has also shattered, mostly because Jakarta is not, in fact, Singapore, and the entire financial sector here is smaller than one decent-sized hedge fund in Hong Kong.

And Venture Capital? Well, that’s less of an industry and more of a members-only club for the same 20 people who went to the same overpriced international schools and pretend to be “building the ecosystem” while investing in yet another doomed B2C startup.

But don't worry! Jobs still exist. In fact, some of Indonesia’s largest, most profitable, and economically crucial industries are begging for talent.

The only problem? Young, educated Indonesians don’t want them.

You see, the suggestion that a fresh grad might consider a real job—you know, in coal, palm oil, logistics, infrastructure, or manufacturing—is often greeted with the same reaction one might expect from being asked to clean a public restroom with their bare hands.

“Wait… you mean actual work? Not a hybrid ‘strategy role’ where I take meetings and send Slack messages?”

Yes. Actual work. The kind that makes money, builds economies, and creates real careers—not just LinkedIn content.

But, sadly, these industries are not considered “prestigious” by the Instagram-driven professional class. No TikTok clips of fancy offices, no Google-style cafeterias, no vague, fancy job titles like "Innovation Evangelist.”

And so, a horde of well-educated, unemployed professionals sits around waiting for something “better,” unwilling to accept that the economy does not, in fact, revolve around their personal comfort levels.

The Harsh Reality: Indonesia’s Economy Isn’t a Fintech Startup

Let’s clear up a common misunderstanding: Indonesia is not, and never will be, a finance-driven economy. This isn’t Singapore, where hedge fund bros shuffle billions between offshore accounts. It isn’t London, where banking dynasties are plotting their next round of global acquisitions. And it certainly isn’t New York, where finance grads burn out before 30 in exchange for soul-crushing bonuses.

Yet, for some reason, every bright-eyed fresh graduate with a degree in business or economics seems to think they’re destined for a life of high-stakes dealmaking. Here’s the problem: financial services make up under 5% of Indonesia’s GDP. Even if you ace every case study interview and land a job at an investment bank, guess what? You and maybe 300 other people have won the “finance lottery.” The rest? Well, enjoy LinkedIn posts about "grit" while trying to get into a VC firm with more partners than actual investments.

And then there’s tech. The golden child. The promise of Indonesia’s future. The reason why thousands of graduates spent years dreaming of working at the next Gojek, Tokopedia, or Bukalapak. And for a while, it worked—until, of course, it didn’t. The free-flowing investor cash is gone, the "growth at all costs" model has collapsed, and suddenly, those massive salaries for “strategy” roles have turned into mass layoffs.

Meanwhile, the real economy—the one that doesn’t rely on fantasy valuations and VC hype—keeps moving forward.

?? Mining & Natural Resources (~12-15% of GDP) – Yes, it’s dirty. Yes, it’s essential. Yes, it makes more money than any app ever will.

?? Agriculture (~13% of GDP) – Laugh all you want at palm oil, but without it, Indonesia wouldn’t be a global commodities powerhouse.

?? Manufacturing (~20% of GDP) – Unlike the latest “disruptive” startup, this industry produces real goods that people actually need.

?? Infrastructure & Construction (~10% of GDP) – Toll roads don’t build themselves, no matter how many times someone posts “The Future of Smart Cities” on LinkedIn.

And yet, these sectors are practically begging for talent. They’re offering stable employment, growth opportunities, and actual career progression. So why is it that the very people who claim “there are no jobs” refuse to even consider them?

The Startup Delusion: Where Did All the Easy Money Go?

The great Indonesian startup fantasy. A beautiful, fleeting dream where money was free, “strategy” was a job title, and a person’s entire role could consist of sending Slack messages, attending brainstorming sessions, and making sleek Canva presentations that ultimately contributed nothing to the bottom line.

For a while, it worked. You could waltz into a VC-backed, profit-optional, hype-driven startup and somehow be paid twice what your uncle in manufacturing was making—despite the fact that his company was actually, you know, profitable.

But, surprise! Turns out that setting investor money on fire in the name of "growth" is not a sustainable business model. The so-called “tech winter” arrived, and suddenly, the once-invincible darlings of Indonesia’s digital economy started collapsing.

?? GoTo? IPO’d, then tanked.

?? Bukalapak? A tough post-IPO ride.

?? Tech sector? Mass layoffs.

Suddenly, all those “Head of Growth” and “Innovation Strategist” roles disappeared overnight. The reality? There’s no more easy money left to burn.

And yet—somehow—many young professionals still refuse to accept that perhaps, just perhaps, the traditional industries they’ve spent years looking down on might actually be a better long-term career bet.

Why the hesitation? Simple: real industries require real work. No more vague “business transformation” meetings. No more getting overpaid to “ideate.” No more living in the comforting illusion that a job is just an extension of a personal brand.

Working in a mining, logistics, or manufacturing company means doing actual work that generates actual revenue. And for many, that is the dealbreaker. Because once you remove the fluff, you’re left with something terrifying: a job that demands actual productivity.

"Real Work? In That Industry? I Could Never."

Let’s be brutally honest: the ideal job for many young professionals is simple—high pay, high prestige, low effort, and preferably within a five-minute radius of a high-end coffee shop in SCBD. Anything outside of this delicate ecosystem? Absolutely unacceptable.

A job that requires actual work? Too exhausting.

A job in a core industry? Too boring.

A job outside of Jakarta’s bubble? Too inconvenient.

So, when faced with the suggestion that maybe, just maybe, Indonesia’s best and brightest should consider joining the industries that actually power the economy, the reactions are predictable:

?? Manufacturing? “That’s for factory workers, not me with my business degree.”

?? Mining? “What, go to Kalimantan? Do I look like a geologist?”

?? Logistics? “Not enough prestige. I need to optimize ecosystems, not supply chains.”

?? Agriculture? “Palm oil? No thanks, I’d rather complain about it from a distance.”

And so, here we are: a bizarre, self-inflicted unemployment crisis.

Because let’s be clear—there are jobs. Good ones.

Traditional industries are actively hiring. They have management trainee programs. They offer corporate roles. They need fresh, capable talent to help modernize and grow.

But instead of applying, many would rather sit at home, scroll LinkedIn, and wait for some magical, high-status, low-labor job to appear.

And when that doesn’t happen? Well, it’s time for the classic excuse: “There are no jobs.”

(Correction: There are plenty of jobs. You just don’t want them.)

Contributing to Indonesia? Only When It's Convenient.

If there’s one thing young professionals love, it’s talking about “contributing to Indonesia’s future.”

They’ll proudly declare their commitment to national progress on LinkedIn, sprinkle in a few inspirational quotes, and maybe even throw in a #BanggaBuatanIndonesia hashtag for good measure. But when it comes to actually working in the industries that make Indonesia’s economy function?

Silence.

Because, of course, this noble vision of “contribution” comes with conditions. They’ll help Indonesia, sure—but only if:

? The job pays a Silicon Valley-tier salary (without requiring Silicon Valley-tier skills).

? The office is in a Grade A skyscraper with artisanal coffee and a rooftop bar.

? Remote work is available so they can “work from Bali” (aka work as little as possible).

Now, let’s take a wild guess where this nationalist enthusiasm disappears:

?? Mining & Energy? Nope, too dirty.

?? Logistics? Boring.

?? Manufacturing? Not trendy enough.

?? Agribusiness? Ew, palm oil.

But let’s be real: the people working in these industries contribute more to Indonesia’s GDP than all of Jakarta’s tech bros combined.

?? The engineers and executives in resource sectors? Building real wealth.

?? The logistics professionals keeping supply chains moving? Actually essential.

?? The people running factories and managing infrastructure? Creating long-term impact.

Meanwhile, our so-called agents of progress are busy "disrupting" something that doesn’t need disrupting, repackaging existing services as innovation, and writing Twitter threads about leadership.

So next time someone boasts about “helping Indonesia grow,” maybe ask them why they won’t work in the industries that actually keep Indonesia running.

(It’s because they think they’re too good for it.)

At some point, reality kicks in. And reality doesn’t care how many “Reflections on Leadership” posts you’ve written or how many coffee meetings with “inspiring” professionals you’ve attended.

• Indonesia’s economy runs on industries that make real money.
• Startups and high finance are niche, not the backbone of the nation.
• There are jobs—just not the overly cushy, LinkedIn-friendly ones people dream of.

So what’s it going to be?

A stable, well-paying career in a sector that actually produces wealth and drives the country forward? Or will you continue refreshing LinkedIn, waiting for some mythical, high-status, low-effort job that only exists in consulting firm recruitment slides?

Because here’s the thing: the economy doesn’t owe you a “cool” job. The world doesn’t need another “Head of Ideation” for a startup that’s just a repackaged version of something already done better elsewhere.

So, to all the young professionals clinging to the illusion of prestige without substance: your move. The industries that actually sustain Indonesia? They’re waiting. You just have to be willing to show up and do the work.