Unlocking workforce readiness through digital employability skills in vocational education Graduates: A PLS-SEM analysis based on human capital Theory
In the context of Industry 4.0, employability skills have become a vital indicator of an individual's readiness for work, particularly in industrial sectors. They are essential for increasing competitiveness, productivity, and long-term career development. However, a significant gap persists am...
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| Format: | Article |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences and Humanities Open |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125003535 |
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| author | Nur Kholifah Muhammad Nurtanto Valiant Lukad Perdana Sutrisno Nuur Wachid Abdul Majid Hani Subakti Rihab Wit Daryono Achmadi Achmadi |
| author_facet | Nur Kholifah Muhammad Nurtanto Valiant Lukad Perdana Sutrisno Nuur Wachid Abdul Majid Hani Subakti Rihab Wit Daryono Achmadi Achmadi |
| author_sort | Nur Kholifah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the context of Industry 4.0, employability skills have become a vital indicator of an individual's readiness for work, particularly in industrial sectors. They are essential for increasing competitiveness, productivity, and long-term career development. However, a significant gap persists among vocational education graduates in Indonesia, where high unemployment rates and skill mismatches pose challenges. This study aims to analyze employability skills among vocational graduates using a human capital investment framework adapted to a digitalization approach. A total of 2587 vocational high school graduates in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, were surveyed using an online questionnaire and selected through exponential snowball sampling. Employability skills were measured through 37 indicators and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling to test both measurement and structural models across 24 hypotheses. The results demonstrate that the proposed empirical model is valid, reliable, and possesses strong predictive power with an R-squared of 0.855 and a Q-squared of 0.605. Digital Communication and Collaboration emerged as the most influential full mediator, effectively linking all exogenous variables to Digital Creativity and Production, highlighting its importance in developing digital productivity and innovation. Several direct relationships were statistically unsupported, including the paths from Technology Adaptation and Specific Software Skills to ICT Resources Integration and Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills to Digital Communication and Collaboration and Digital Creativity and Production. These findings emphasize the importance of structured learning interventions integrating technical training with ICT-based group projects to promote collaboration, digital interaction, and problem-solving. The study contributes practical insights for vocational curriculum development to enhance graduate readiness in the digital labor market. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-310e07fbdf4d44a28bcceaa97e182ccc |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2590-2911 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences and Humanities Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-310e07fbdf4d44a28bcceaa97e182ccc2025-08-20T02:09:52ZengElsevierSocial Sciences and Humanities Open2590-29112025-01-011110162510.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101625Unlocking workforce readiness through digital employability skills in vocational education Graduates: A PLS-SEM analysis based on human capital TheoryNur Kholifah0Muhammad Nurtanto1Valiant Lukad Perdana Sutrisno2Nuur Wachid Abdul Majid3Hani Subakti4Rihab Wit Daryono5Achmadi Achmadi6Department of Desain Fashion Studies, Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Corresponding author. Colombo Street No.1, Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, IndonesiaDepartment of Vocational and Technology Education, Jakarta State University, Jakarta, IndonesiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering Education, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Central Java, IndonesiaDepartment of Information Systems and Technology Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, West Java, IndonesiaDepartment of Primary Teacher Education, Widya Gama Mahakam Samarinda University, East Kalimantan, IndonesiaDepartment of Vocational and Technology Education, Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta, IndonesiaDepartment of Economic Education, Universitas Tanjungpura, Pontianak, IndonesiaIn the context of Industry 4.0, employability skills have become a vital indicator of an individual's readiness for work, particularly in industrial sectors. They are essential for increasing competitiveness, productivity, and long-term career development. However, a significant gap persists among vocational education graduates in Indonesia, where high unemployment rates and skill mismatches pose challenges. This study aims to analyze employability skills among vocational graduates using a human capital investment framework adapted to a digitalization approach. A total of 2587 vocational high school graduates in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, were surveyed using an online questionnaire and selected through exponential snowball sampling. Employability skills were measured through 37 indicators and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling to test both measurement and structural models across 24 hypotheses. The results demonstrate that the proposed empirical model is valid, reliable, and possesses strong predictive power with an R-squared of 0.855 and a Q-squared of 0.605. Digital Communication and Collaboration emerged as the most influential full mediator, effectively linking all exogenous variables to Digital Creativity and Production, highlighting its importance in developing digital productivity and innovation. Several direct relationships were statistically unsupported, including the paths from Technology Adaptation and Specific Software Skills to ICT Resources Integration and Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills to Digital Communication and Collaboration and Digital Creativity and Production. These findings emphasize the importance of structured learning interventions integrating technical training with ICT-based group projects to promote collaboration, digital interaction, and problem-solving. The study contributes practical insights for vocational curriculum development to enhance graduate readiness in the digital labor market.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125003535vocational technology competenciesemployability skillsDigital creativityDigital collaborationGraduate employability |
| spellingShingle | Nur Kholifah Muhammad Nurtanto Valiant Lukad Perdana Sutrisno Nuur Wachid Abdul Majid Hani Subakti Rihab Wit Daryono Achmadi Achmadi Unlocking workforce readiness through digital employability skills in vocational education Graduates: A PLS-SEM analysis based on human capital Theory Social Sciences and Humanities Open vocational technology competencies employability skills Digital creativity Digital collaboration Graduate employability |
| title | Unlocking workforce readiness through digital employability skills in vocational education Graduates: A PLS-SEM analysis based on human capital Theory |
| title_full | Unlocking workforce readiness through digital employability skills in vocational education Graduates: A PLS-SEM analysis based on human capital Theory |
| title_fullStr | Unlocking workforce readiness through digital employability skills in vocational education Graduates: A PLS-SEM analysis based on human capital Theory |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unlocking workforce readiness through digital employability skills in vocational education Graduates: A PLS-SEM analysis based on human capital Theory |
| title_short | Unlocking workforce readiness through digital employability skills in vocational education Graduates: A PLS-SEM analysis based on human capital Theory |
| title_sort | unlocking workforce readiness through digital employability skills in vocational education graduates a pls sem analysis based on human capital theory |
| topic | vocational technology competencies employability skills Digital creativity Digital collaboration Graduate employability |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125003535 |
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