Strategies and Policies to Overcome Structural Unemployment in Bondowoso Regency

Abstract

This study explores structural unemployment in Bondowoso Regency, East Java, and formulates strategic policies for the local government. Despite a quantitative decrease in the Open Unemployment Rate (TPT), structural issues persist, including high informal sector participation (70.05%), agricultural dependency, and skills mismatch, particularly among vocational school graduates. Employing a qualitative case study approach and literature review, this research observes the socio-economic dynamics affecting the local labor market between 2020 and 2024. The findings reveal a segmented labor market characterized by precarity and limited social mobility. The study implies the urgent need for institutional transformation, proposing actionable recommendations notably through agricultural modernization, integrated farming initiatives, and the promotion of young farmers to ensure inclusive economic growth.