The Yogyakarta Special Region Manpower and Transmigration Office, in collaboration with Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) and supported by BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, once again strengthened collaboration through the Grand Job Fair 2026, held on June 10–11, 2026, at the UNY Auditorium. The event represents the university's commitment to accelerating graduate employment while fostering stronger partnerships among higher education institutions, government agencies, and industry. Participants had the opportunity not only to explore job vacancies directly from employers but also to build professional networks with company recruiters.
Unlike conventional job fairs, this event featured walk-in interviews, enabling qualified applicants to participate in recruitment interviews on the same day. This initiative was designed to streamline the hiring process while providing a more efficient recruitment experience for both job seekers and employers. The Job Fair also embraced an inclusive approach by ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities, reflecting UNY's commitment to equal employment opportunities and an inclusive labor market.
The event was officially opened by Ariyanto Wibowo, S.H., M.Hum., Head of the Yogyakarta Special Region Manpower and Transmigration Office, through a ceremonial gong striking. He emphasized that the job fair serves as a concrete government initiative to connect job seekers with businesses and industries.
"The issue is not the lack of employment opportunities, but rather the availability of jobs that match job seekers' expectations. This Job Fair has already attracted more than 1,400 participants competing for 394 job positions offered by 43 companies," he said.
He also highlighted the region's employment statistics, noting that the Yogyakarta Special Region has a workforce of 2.24 million people, a labor force participation rate of 73.73 percent, and an open unemployment rate of 3.18 percent, indicating continued growth in the labor market.
Representing the Rector of UNY, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Nur Hidayanto Pancoro Setyo Putro expressed his hope that the Job Fair would serve as a meeting point between job seekers and employers while strengthening the alignment between higher education, industry, and the labor market.
"We hope this initiative will ensure that no graduates are left behind in terms of competencies, knowledge, and talent," he stated.
Elly Supriyanti, K.S., S.Psi., M.Ec.Dev., Head of the Division of Labor Protection, Placement, Employment Expansion, and Transmigration, explained that the event featured 43 companies representing various industrial sectors. Together, they offered 394 job categories with a total demand for 2,671 employees, targeting senior high school and vocational school graduates, diploma holders, university graduates, and the general public.
"This year's theme, 'Special Jogja: Innovative Generation for Competitiveness in the Global Labor Market,' reflects our commitment to encouraging young people to become more creative, adaptable, and resilient in responding to the demands of today's workforce," she said.
In addition to recruitment activities, participating companies presented their corporate profiles and conducted walk-in interviews with prospective employees. The event also featured the symbolic signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between PT Yogya CNC Service and SMKN 1 Yogyakarta, PT Auri Steel Metalindo and SMK Tamansiswa Jetis, PT Anugerah Mulia Sentosa and SMKN 3 Yogyakarta, as well as PT Prima Karya Sarana Sejahtera and SMK Diponegoro Depok. These agreements represented 29 partnership agreements formalized during the event.
The Grand Job Fair 2026 contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) by strengthening career readiness among students and graduates, SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by expanding access to decent employment opportunities, and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by promoting inclusive and disability-friendly recruitment practices.
