First Job for Her is a project dedicated to supporting 15 young women in Untia Fishermen Village, Makassar, as they take their first steps toward meaningful employment. This action project is run by Andi Nurul Ulum, INSPIRASI cohort 2025.
The journey began with Phase 1, carried out in February, which set out to better understand job opportunities, the holistic realities of young women in Untia, and their aspirations for work. Rather than starting from assumptions, this phase focused on listening closely to their experiences and the ecosystem around them.
What emerged from this process paints a layered picture.
For many young women in Untia, entering the workforce is not always a fully independent decision. Their choices are often shaped by the environment they grow up in and the types of jobs most visible and accessible around them. As a result, many tend to orient themselves toward blue-collar work, reflecting both local opportunities and the influence of their surroundings.
From the perspective of employers, another challenge becomes clear. Many report low levels of commitment from job applicants during recruitment processes. In addition, educational background is often interpreted not only as a measure of technical ability, but also as an indicator of a candidate’s reliability and dedication.
Looking more broadly at youth in Makassar, similar patterns appear. Many young people struggle to secure employment, often due to a mismatch between expectations and reality—particularly around workload and compensation. While job information is available through institutions such as the Manpower Office (Disnaker), it is frequently concentrated in blue-collar sectors. At the same time, volunteering within communities has become an important pathway for many young people, offering them a way to build experience and strengthen their future job prospects.
From these insights, the First Job for Her Employment Pathways model was developed. This framework recognizes that young women are at different stages of readiness for work, and groups them accordingly:
Some are still in a stage of exploring their interests and developing foundational skills. Others are beginning to understand how their skills connect with their educational background and are preparing to apply for jobs. A third group is already clear about both and is ready to enter the workforce.
Phase 2 of First Job for Her is now focused on the first group—those who are still discovering and building their skills. This next stage will support them in identifying their strengths, developing their capabilities, and engaging in volunteering opportunities that can serve as stepping stones toward future employment.