Changes are happening in POPSkul.
In early 2023 “POPSkul” will bloom into an “opportunity marketplace” with the badge “Powered by Astronaut” by its side.
But before we talk more about the changes coming to POPSkul, let’s learn more about the history of POPSkul. Acquired by Astronaut in June 2021, POPSkul began with a simple desire to help job seekers (including fresh graduates) to complete certifications in a difficult time in history, the pandemic.
The pandemic had halted almost all certification processes because they were being conducted manually with a face-to-face examination with assessors. Neither fresh graduates, job seekers, and assessors could do anything because of the lockdown.
To solve the problem, Chandra Marsono launched POPSkul in the midst of the pandemic, with the support of Astronaut. Working together with the Indonesian Competency Certification Board for English Language (LSK-BIG) under the Ministry of Education, POPSkul became an online certification assessment platform partner in August 2020. POPSkul’s assessment engine was powered by Astronaut’s technology from day one. The partnership bore fruit due to features such as the strong proctoring system, adding layers of security and credibility to the needs of these high-integrity assessment certification processes.
By December 2020, more than 600 students took part in assessment tests from all around Indonesia, from Aceh to as far as Papua. This pandemic-born start-up EdTech took it further in January 2021 when assessments were done in countries across Asia, such as Hong Kong and Taiwan.
“The goal was to democratize certification. Everyone has the right to empower themselves with opportunities, and that includes getting certified”, Chandra Marsono added.
POPSkul grew from 0 to 2000 users in just 3 months by solving the problems faced by the certification industry; standardizing the cost of certification, reducing time, and enabling flexibility. The cost to deliver certifications was reduced substantially, with no need to pay assessor’s travel expenses, board, and more. And the students were able to benefit from this.
Astronaut’s purchase of POPSkul helped realize Chandra’s original roadmap and even go beyond. Working together with Astronaut’s CEO Nigel Hembrow& Astronaut’s Product Team Lead, Johanes Purba, POPSkul is gearing-up to assist fresh graduates across Indonesia to find employment, demonstrate their skills, improve their skill, explore their interests, and much more. It is bridging the gap between employers and ready-to-work graduates, building an ecosystem benefiting all stakeholders.
Candidates will be able to equip themselves with skills, certifications, and discover how their skills can fit industry’s needs, make themselves confident, and be ready to apply for jobs on the POPSkul jobs board. Employers receive the benefit of candidates who know what they want and are qualified candidates with proven and tested skills.
This ecosystem will include features like online learning, skill certification, internships, virtual work experience programs and full-time jobs. State-owned businesses in Indonesia want to make candidate certification compulsory starting in 2024. This is in line with POPskul’s goal to democratize certification so that anybody may obtain it.
POPskul Powered by Astronaut empowers not just via technology but also by deep expertise in Talent Assessment, with Sheeren Yolanda in charge. Employers will be able to partner with Sheeren’s team to explore all their options to leverage the POPSkul platform.
Sheeren, Johannes, Chandra, Nigel and the whole team at POPSkul Powered by Astronaut, and the whole team at Astronaut and so excited for 2023. Together, we can boost employability, employment and help employers leverage Indonesia’s demographic dividend. Bring it on!
