With around 255 million people, Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world (after China, India, and the United States of America). Furthermore, as around half of the total population is below the age of 30-year old (Figure 1), the country is considered to have a young population. Combined, these two features indicate that Indonesia currently has a large labor force; one that will only grow larger in the foreseeable future. This big potential of manpower supported by the lack of formal domestic employment has made working abroad as an ideal option for many Indonesians. Indonesian workers are favored in many work sectors due to their politeness, patience, obedience, and aptitude to learn; which are shaped by their ethnic culture and tradition. Those characteristics unquestionably determine one’s ability in adapting to a new working and living environment. Accordingly, as of 2015, over seven million Indonesians are working as foreign workers all over the world (e.g. Asia Pacific, Arab States of the Persian Gulf, Africa, etc.).

PDS has more than two decades of history, which began when the two company founders saw an opportunity to explore and delve into manpower supply business while working overseas. Returning to Indonesia with a mission to start an employment service company, in 1997 the founders formed the company that later became the predecessor of PT. Prima Duta Sejati (PDS). PDS was established in 1999 and is located in Gempol, East Java – Indonesia. From 1999 to mid-2016, PDS has placed more than 100,000 workers overseas (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Korea, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, etc.), trained and placed through its central office, 9 regional offices, and 7 training centers spread in Java, Sumatera, Celebes, and Nusa Tenggara. In accordance to the government’s commitment to send zero “informal” workers overseas by 2017, PDS is committed to support government’s effort, by focusing its strategy and resources in training and placing competent and qualified skilled workers.