DAIKIN Inaugurates First Center of Excellence at Vocational High School to Enhance Student Competency

Jakarta – As part of the company’s ongoing efforts to advance vocational education, PT Daikin Airconditioning Indonesia (DAIKIN) officially inaugurated its first DAIKIN Center of Excellence at a Vocational High School (SMK) today (December 13). Building on its collaborative initiatives with vocational schools, the Japanese air conditioning solution specialist with nearly a century of global experience has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the quality and number of DAIKIN Centers of Excellence across Indonesia.

“This goes beyond merely providing equipment for teacher and student practical exercises. We designed the DAIKIN Center of Excellence as a dedicated hub for training and development aimed at elevating the competency of students from vocational institutions, particularly in refrigeration and air conditioning,” stated Shinji Miyata, President Director of PT Daikin Airconditioning Indonesia. He further emphasized that DAIKIN will be directly involved in delivering specialized training and conducting competency assessments for both students and educators.

State Vocational High School (SMKN) 29 Jakarta has been selected as the inaugural DAIKIN Center of Excellence. Located in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, the center occupies a dedicated classroom space. It is equipped with various air conditioning units suitable for residential and commercial applications. Additionally, key HVAC knowledge and principles are integrated into the room’s wall displays as educational ornaments.

Shinji Miyata further noted that establishing this Center of Excellence is part of DAIKIN’s strategy to strengthen collaboration and synergy with the government to foster high-quality education. “From an industry perspective, DAIKIN believes that improving educational standards will significantly increase our access to highly competent human resources. This is a fundamental driver of our corporate growth,” he added.

According to Budi Mulia, Director of PT Daikin Airconditioning Indonesia, these remarks reflect DAIKIN’s operational journey in Indonesia. With nearly a century of global expertise in air conditioning solutions, DAIKIN established its presence in Indonesia fifty years ago. Over the decades, the company has consistently grown while maintaining a strong reputation among Indonesian consumers, ultimately becoming the market leader in air conditioners (AC) in the country. This leadership is built not only on superior product quality but also on exceptional service delivery.

To date, DAIKIN operates 16 representative offices spanning various regions across Indonesia. Supporting this network, the company collaborates with approximately 1,400 business partners who facilitate product distribution and after-sales services nationwide.

Looking ahead, Budi Mulia highlighted that next year will mark a new phase for DAIKIN in Indonesia, driven by the company’s strategic plan to commence local AC manufacturing through a new production facility currently under construction in Cikarang. “As we embark on this journey and implement our long-term vision, we recognize that human resource quality plays a critical role—not just for DAIKIN, but for the entire industry,” he explained.

This awareness has prompted DAIKIN to deepen its synergy with the Indonesian government, notably through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) on July 25, 2019.

Under this MoU framework, the collaboration encompasses curriculum alignment, industry certification programs for teachers and students, specialized training sessions led by DAIKIN as guest instructors, on-the-job training opportunities, and the donation of practical training units to support school-based learning. Since then, DAIKIN has partnered with 37 vocational high schools and 8 vocational training centers across Indonesia.

Regarding the DAIKIN Center of Excellence, Budi Mulia elaborated that beyond incentivizing existing collaboration pillars, designated schools will serve as dedicated training hubs and assessment centers for competency testing aligned with the National Agency of Professional Certification (BNSP) standards. Furthermore, these centers will be strengthened to function as comprehensive HVAC training and development facilities.

To achieve this vision, DAIKIN has developed a comprehensive roadmap. A key component involves ensuring that the DAIKIN Center of Excellence extends beyond internal school training to include external stakeholders. “By opening the Center of Excellence to students and teachers from other schools, as well as our industry partners, we aim to foster knowledge exchange and skill transfer that will contribute to the future advancement of both vocational education and the HVAC industry,” Budi Mulia concluded.

Aligning with this broader objective, Budi Mulia announced that DAIKIN will simultaneously develop multiple vocational high schools across Indonesia into subsequent DAIKIN Centers of Excellence. Beyond the Greater Jakarta area, this expansion plan will extend to various islands throughout the archipelago.

“Consistent with our efforts to enhance educational quality, equitable access remains a primary focus in establishing DAIKIN Centers of Excellence,” Budi Mulia added. In line with this strategic plan, DAIKIN will coordinate closely with both central and local governments alongside school capability assessments. “We firmly believe that strong industry-government synergy will be the cornerstone of successful human resource development in Indonesia,” he finalized.