PROFESSIONALISMS OF FEMALE WORKERS IN THE INFORMAL SECTOR AT THE CITY OF PALEMBANG, INDONESIA

Economic pressures often require women to decide to work for additional household income. Their multiple roles in family, community, and workforce create a factor that makes them particularly interested in the informal sector. This study was designed to determine the professionalism of female workers in the informal sector by surveying 300 respondents at the City of Palembang, Indonesia. The data obtained were analyzed by a descriptive statistical method, namely, frequency analysis, and presented in tables and pie charts. The results showed that female workers in the informal sector did not prioritize professionalism at work; instead, they simply relied on their daily food preparation skills to open food stalls and sell snacks, beverages, and other tradable foods. Meanwhile, other female workers skilled in sewing and cosmetology preferred selling products to offering sewing services or opening beauty salons. These skills were mostly acquired by self-study (40 percent), and a few of them were developed from passed down information in families (26 percent), training organized by the government (19 percent), and the internet (3 percent).