Young Migrants and Education-to-Work Transitions in Pontianak, West Kalimantan

Abstract

A majority of youth in tertiary education in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, are migrants from other districts. This paper presents results from a small survey of these migrant youth. Most of the students came from lower-middle-class families. Both lower- and lower-middle-class youth have access to tertiary education in provincial cities, even though many feel that tertiary education in provincial cities is of lower quality compared with education in Java or abroad. This paper describes how most migrant youth see Pontianak as a ‘transit’ city—a stepping stone for upward mobility through schooling and temporary work before going back to their hometown to find a stable job. These migration decisions are often affected by ethnic identity. Many youth express the ambiguity of social mobility in their transition from education to work.