Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize

A Future for Young People

Father Johann Casutt

Father Johann Casutt successfully adapted the Swiss model for the vocational training of young people to suit the circumstances of Indonesia. For this achievement he has been chosen to receive the Best Practice Award for Productive Youth Development.

Even while training to become a Jesuit priest Johann Casutt from Horgen in Switzerland already wanted to work in the mission. It took some time, however, until he was called to Indonesia in the 1960s. Father Casutt found his true calling in Surakarta, where the ATMI Polytechnic developed into one of the most renowned institutions of vocational training in Indonesia under his judicious, sensitive and competent leadership. Father Casutt’s approach was innovative and groundbreaking in a variety of ways. He successfully adapted the dual vocational training system of his home country to suit the circumstances of Indonesia, while at the same time building up a system financed substantially by orders from industry. And finally Father Casutt succeeded with his model in teaching young people, in a multi-confessional approach, not only about technical efficiency and perfection but also about holistic production with respect for colleagues and the environment. The results speak for themselves:

ATMI graduates are highly sought after, and 60 percent of them start up their own business once they have completed their training. With the ATMI Polytechnic and other vocational training projects, Father Johann Casutt created a model not only for Indonesia but also for other regions in development. A model that with the combination of technical know-how, moral responsibility and social commitment at the workplace promotes the development both of the individual and of the local community over the long term.