POLIJE STRENGTHENS PRACTICAL-BASED LEARNING THROUGH TEFA LEARNING CENTRE IMPLEMENTATION WITH HAFL

Politeknik Negeri Jember (Polije) is moving forward with the Implementation of the TEFA (Teaching Factory) Learning Centre in collaboration with HAFL (School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences), Switzerland, focusing on milk-based industry practices through TEFA Susu. This initiative is part of the Skills for Competitiveness (S4C) program to enhance student competencies through real-industry learning environments.

The TEFA Milk Team and P4M Team, together with PIC Rizki Amalia, will be actively involved in preparing the implementation plan and ensuring alignment with industry standards.

To support this initiative, a comprehensive list of required equipment and machine capacities will be requested directly from the vendor. This includes the need for Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the operation of specialized equipment such as boilers, retort machines, and pasteurization units.

Several departments will be directly involved in the practicum activities within TEFA Susu, including:

Engineering Department – for boiler and retort machine practice,

Animal Husbandry Department – for milk quality testing (pre- and post-processing),

Agricultural Product Technology (TP) Department – for milk pasteurization processes.

To ensure effective implementation, a coordination meeting will be held involving department heads (KAJUR), deputy heads (SEKJUR), study program coordinators (Kaprodi), and curriculum development teams. In addition, a special team will be formed to develop practicum materials aligned with the Course Learning Outcomes (CPL), including a GKM (Quality Control Group) team whose list will be requested from Mr. Asep. The team formation will be formalized through an assignment letter issued by Polije leadership.

The practicum activities will be structured using the PBL (Problem-Based Learning) Case Method, incorporating observation, case analysis, and hands-on operations for students. The practicum is designed to cover a total of 1400 minutes per semester, which equates to 120 minutes per credit (SKS) x 4, with 50-minute sessions per meeting across 14 sessions. For Animal Husbandry students, 50% of the practicum content will focus specifically on milk.

A crucial step in the implementation process is the upcoming one-week visit by a HAFL consultant scheduled for the end of September. During this visit, there will be evaluation, support, and feedback sessions related to the TEFA development.

Furthermore, a draft Terms of Reference (ToR) for the TEFA Learning Centre project will be submitted to Polije for review and signature, ensuring all activities are clearly guided and mutually agreed upon.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in enhancing the quality and relevance of vocational education at Polije, ensuring that students are equipped with practical skills that match the demands of the industry. (rda)