SMK Tarunatama Getasan (Tarunatama Getasan Vocational School) was established in 2004 in Jampelan Hamlet, Getasan Village, Getasan Subdistrict, Semarang Regency, by the Sion Foundation as a form of concern for the social conditions of the community on the slopes of Mount Merbabu. This area is known as an agricultural area, but every day the amount of agricultural land is shrinking due to population growth and the rapid development of the tourism sector, such as hotels, restaurants, and other tourist attractions.

Another phenomenon is that many farming families are reluctant to have their children follow in their footsteps as farmers, as they consider this profession to be hard work with no promising future. On the other hand, junior high school graduates in this area generally lack the necessary skills to enter the workforce directly. In response to this situation, SMK Tarunatama was established as a vocational school that equips students with practical and relevant skills in line with the needs of the business and industrial sectors.

Over time, SMK Tarunatama has opened four programs of expertise, namely:

  • Institutional Accounting and Finance (2004)
  • Computer and Network Engineering (2009)
  • Fashion Design (2010)
  • Motorcycle Engineering (2014)

Vision

Tarunatama Vocational School aims to equip students with skills (hard skills and soft skills) so that they are ready to enter the workforce or become independent entrepreneurs. Each study program is opened based on the results of a survey of community interests in the Getasan District and surrounding areas.

Target and Scope

 

The study programs offered target various community needs:

  • Institutional Accounting and Finance: Expected to produce graduates who are not only ready to work in formal institutions, but also able to assist the community in better managing their family finances.
  • Computer and Network Engineering : Responding to the increasing demand for experts in the field of networks and the internet, graduates are expected to be able to work in institutions or open their own network service businesses.
  • Fashion Design: Equipping students to be able to enter the garment industry, become entrepreneurs in the field of fashion, and even become designers.
  • Motorcycle Engineering: Targeting the market's need for reliable mechanics, both to work in workshops and to open their own businesses, considering that motorcycles are the main means of transportation for the community.

Tarunatama Vocational School students come from various regions, ranging from Getasan, Ngablak, Boyolali, Magelang, Purwodadi, to Salatiga. Some students also come from outside Java, such as Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Nusa Tenggara.

Activities

In addition to core subjects in each study program, SMK Tarunatama also equips students with additional competencies:

  • Welding: Mandatory for Motorcycle Engineering students as an additional skill that is highly relevant in the world of work.
  • Local Culinary Content: Taught as local content for Fashion Design students, responding to the high public interest in the culinary field.
  • Local Content in Tourism and Hospitality Services: Taught as an additional skill for students in the Computer Science and Accounting programs, adapting to the needs of the workforce in tourist areas.
  • Character Education and Soft Skills: Reinforced through daily worship, monthly worship and holidays, the Independent Safety Riding School (SSRM) program, and the incorporation of values of independence and leadership in every subject. This is important because soft skills account for 70% of the qualifications required in the workplace.

Partners

To support the learning process and placement of graduates into the workforce, SMK Tarunatama has established partnerships with various industry and education partners, including:

  • Astra Honda Motor
  • Ungaran Sari Garmen (USG)
  • Argo Manunggal Tekstil (AMT)
  • Gmedia
  • Hotel D'Emerick
  • Satya Wacana Christian University (UKSW)
  • Soegijapranata Catholic University (UNIKA)
  • and other partners

 

Facing increasingly complex challenges, SMK Tarunatama Getasan invites various parties—churches, communities, alumni, entrepreneurs, and social institutions—to participate in supporting this educational service. Support can be in the form of prayers, funds, manpower, or other forms to improve the quality of education and expand the impact of services to the younger generation.