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The advancement of digital technology and the evolving demands of the professional landscape require vocational high school (SMK) students to possess a level of work readiness that aligns with the needs of the business and industrial sectors. However, preliminary research involving students in the Office Management and Business Services (MPLB) program at SMKN 2 Tuban indicates that their work readiness is not yet optimal; this is evidenced by limitations in seeking and utilizing information, as well as a mismatch between the competencies they possess and the requirements of the workplace. This situation underscores the importance of this study, which aims to identify the factors influencing the work readiness of MPLB students at SMKN 2 Tuban. Specifically, this research analyzes the impact of digital literacy, independent learning, and the use of information technology on the work readiness of these students, both individually and collectively. The study employs a quantitative approach with an explanatory research design. The population consists of MPLB students at SMKN 2 Tuban, with a sample of 207 respondents selected via simple random sampling. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed through multiple linear regression, t-tests, F-tests, and the coefficient of determination. The findings reveal that digital literacy, independent learning, and the use of information technology each have a positive and significant impact on work readiness. Furthermore, these three factors, digital literacy, independent learning, and the use of information technology collectively exert a positive and significant influence on work readiness. Among these, independent learning emerges as the most dominant variable, highlighting that a student's ability to manage their own learning process is a crucial aspect of fostering work readiness. An adjusted R-squared value of 0.624 indicates that the three independent variables account for 62.4% of the variation in work readiness, while the remaining 37.6% is attributed to factors outside the scope of this study. In conclusion, digital literacy, independent learning, and the use of information technology collectively have a positive and significant effect on the work readiness of MPLB students at SMKN 2 Tuban. ABSTRAK Perkembangan teknologi digital dan perubahan tuntutan dunia kerja menuntut siswa sekolah menengah kejuruan (SMK) memiliki kesiapan kerja yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan dunia usaha dan dunia industri. Namun, hasil pra penelitian pada siswa MPLB SMKN 2 Tuban menunjukkan bahwa kesiapan kerja belum optimal, yang ditandai dengan keterbatasan dalam mencari dan memanfaatkan informasi serta ketidaksesuaian antara kompetensi yang dimiliki dengan kebutuhan dunia kerja. Kondisi tersebut menjadi alasan penelitian ini penting dilakukan untuk mengetahui faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi kesiapan kerja siswa MPLB SMKN 2 Tuban. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh Literasi digital, kemandirian belajar, dan penggunaan teknologi informasi terhadap kesiapan kerja siswa MPLB SMKN 2 Tuban baik secara parsial maupun simultan. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan desain explanatory research. Populasi penelitian adalah siswa MPLB SMKN 2 Tuban dengan jumlah sampel sebanyak 207 responden yang dipilih menggunakan teknik simple random sampling. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui kuesioner dengan skala Likert. Analisis data menggunakan regresi linier berganda, uji t, uji F, dan koefisien determinasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa literasi digital berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kesiapan kerja, kemandirian belajar berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kesiapan kerja, penggunaan teknologi informasi berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kesiapan kerja. Literasi digital, kemandirian belajar, dan penggunaan teknologi informasi secara simultan berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kesiapan kerja. Kemandirian belajar merupakan variabel yang paling dominan dalam mempengaruhi kesiapan kerja. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa kemampuan siswa mengelola proses belajar secara mandiri menjadi aspek penting dalam mendukung kesiapan kerja. Nilai Adjusted R sebesar 0,624 menunjukkan bahwa ketiga variabel independen mampu menjelaskan 62,4% variasi kesiapan kerja, sedangkan 37,6% dijelaskan oleh faktor lain diluar penelitian. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Literasi digital, kemandirian belajar, dan penggunaan teknologi informasi secara simultan berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kesiapan kerja siswa MPLB SMKN 2 Tuban.

Folk Development Colleges (FDCs) are intended to equip young people and adults with practical capabilities for productive work, yet little is known about graduates’ transition from training to self-employment. This study explored how vocational training, entrepreneurship education, and life-skills training were perceived to support graduates’ self-employment in two selected FDCs in Mtwara Region, Tanzania. Guided by Human Capital Theory, it used an interpretivist qualitative multiple-case design. Thirty-six participants were selected purposively: 24 graduates, 10 tutors, and two principals. Data were collected through two focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, then analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants reported that vocational training developed practical competencies applied in tailoring, agriculture, poultry keeping, welding, food processing and other income-generating activities. Entrepreneurship education strengthened opportunity recognition, business planning, costing, marketing, record-keeping and financial management, while life-skills training supported communication, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, adaptability and confidence. Experiential learning connected the three training components. However, outdated or insufficient equipment, restricted finance and markets, weak mentorship and industry linkages, limited incubation support and incomplete graduate tracking constrained application. FDC programmes therefore provided complementary preparation for self-employment, but training alone could not ensure enterprise establishment or continuity. Modern resources, sustained practical learning, stronger enterprise-support linkages and systematic graduate tracking are required. As the evidence is context-specific and self-reported, the findings indicate perceived contributions rather than causal effects or verified long-term business sustainability.

Teaching Factory (TEFA) provides vocational students with authentic, industry-oriented learning experiences. However, its evaluation often focuses on technical performance and final learning outcomes, leaving employability skills insufficiently assessed. Previous studies have largely examined TEFA implementation and digital assessment separately, highlighting the need for an integrated evaluation model. This study aimed to develop and validate a Digital Teaching Factory Evaluation Model that integrates authentic learning, digital assessment, and employability skills evaluation. A research and development approach was employed using the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation). Data were collected through literature reviews, observations, interviews, questionnaires, document analysis, expert validation, and pretest-posttest assessments. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, while qualitative data were examined through coding, categorization, and triangulation. The results showed that the model achieved 88.0% expert validation and 90.0% practicality, indicating that it was highly valid and very practical. Students’ average employability skills scores increased from 67.8 to 84.4, with a reported relative gain of 51.7%. Work readiness showed the highest relative gain (58.1%), followed by collaboration (53.3%), problem-solving (51.4%), communication (50.0%), and adaptability (45.5%). These findings suggest that the model offers a practical framework for assessing employability skills within authentic TEFA activities. It can help vocational teachers document student performance, provide timely feedback, and align assessment with workplace expectations. Further research involving larger samples and stronger experimental designs is needed to examine its effectiveness across different vocational education contexts.

International branch campuses (IBCs) deliver foreign science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) qualifications inside host economies, yet how graduates’ reported educational experiences relate to their professional outcomes has received little attention in the Gulf. This study examined employability, work readiness and job alignment among Qatari nationals who completed a bachelor's degree at one of two United States IBCs in Qatar. A cross-sectional survey of 75 employed graduates, recruited purposively through professional networks and snowball referrals, was analysed using Fisher exact tests with exact odds ratios and effect sizes, together with parsimonious binary, ordinal and Firth penalised logistic regression with Wald intervals for coefficients and bootstrap percentile intervals for average predicted probabilities; responses to one open-ended question were categorised descriptively. Most graduates worked in roles related to their major (86.7%) and entered employment immediately after graduation (61.3%). Labour-market preparedness was associated with very high perceived employability (odds ratio 4.9, 95% CI 1.6–14.7) and with a very smooth transition to work (Firth odds ratio 13.9, 95% CI 3.5–54.8), and professional ability development was also associated with very high employability (odds ratio 6.5, 95% CI 1.9–22.4). Job alignment corresponded with smoother transitions, though imprecisely (odds ratio 8.6, 95% CI 1.0–73.0). Women were less likely than men to report being very well prepared (adjusted odds ratio 0.11, 95% CI 0.03–0.45); other gender comparisons were inconclusive. Graduates most often requested internships and practical exposure and locally grounded labour-market knowledge. The findings suggest that monitoring preparedness and occupational alignment alongside employment rates offers a more informative account of the professional experiences reported by graduates of international STEM programmes delivered locally.

In South Africa, the persistent issue of graduates being ill-prepared for the job market highlights the deep-seated inequalities within the country's higher education system. Often, employability is attributed to student motivation or individual “skills gaps,” but these explanations overlook the structural mismatches that affect the transition from university to employment. This paper explores how curriculum design, Work-Integrated Learning (WIL), and the digital divide interact to contribute to career unpreparedness among students at a Historically Disadvantaged Institution (HDI) that serves many rural and low-income communities. This study addresses that gap by foregrounding the perspectives of institutional actors, lecturers, WIL coordinators, and academic advisors at a single HDI. Through an interpretivist qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with lecturers, WIL coordinators, and academic advisors, the paper examines how these institutional figures perceive the relationship among academic programmes, labour market demands, and students' real-life circumstances. The findings reveal that curriculum updates often lag behind the fast-evolving job sectors, particularly in Information and Communication Technology (ICT); that WIL systems are fragile due to limited placement opportunities, inconsistent employer engagement, and brief placement periods; and that students from rural and economically disadvantaged backgrounds face compounded challenges, including transport costs, weak professional networks, barriers to digital access, and limited knowledge of recruitment platforms. Additionally, the study highlights that the digital divide extends beyond mere connectivity issues to encompass disparities in access to devices and data, digital confidence, and digitally facilitated career opportunities. Amidst the discourse on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), globalisation, sustainability, and equity in African higher education, this paper calls for a transformation of the curriculum to be more collaborative, data-informed, and attuned to social needs. It proposes strengthening partnerships with advisory boards, co-creating curricula with industry, employing AI tools to align curricula, and coordinating policies among universities, employers, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), and technology developers. The paper concludes that improving graduate employability in South Africa requires more than technical reforms alone; it necessitates addressing the structural inequalities that shape who can transition from higher education to meaningful employment. The paper contributes a structural-misalignment framework, a clear distinction among empirically grounded, analytically derived, and forward-looking implications, and a methodologically transparent account of qualitative analysis in a sensitive institutional setting.

This study assessed the employability skill readiness of Alternative Learning System (ALS) graduates in Liloan District, Cebu, during School Year 2025–2026 as a basis for developing a skill enhancement plan. Anchored on Human Capital Theory, Career Construction Theory, and Social Cognitive Career Theory, the study employed a quantitative correlational research design involving 70 ALS graduates. Data were collected using an adapted and modified questionnaire and analyzed through percentages, weighted means, standard deviations, Pearson product-moment correlation, and chi-square tests. Findings revealed high employability skill readiness in communication (M = 4.08), teamwork (M = 3.82), problem-solving (M = 3.81), self-management (M = 3.48), and technical or job-specific skills (M = 3.52). Employability readiness was significantly associated with age, parents’ educational attainment, parents’ occupation, and combined monthly family income, while gender showed no significant relationship. Furthermore, challenges encountered exhibited a significant negative relationship with employability readiness (r = −0.46), indicating that greater challenges were associated with lower readiness. Prominent challenges included limited access to training and upskilling opportunities, insufficient career preparation, inadequate hands-on experience, and limited confidence in applying acquired skills. The study recommends implementing the proposed Skill Enhancement Plan through accessible training, career guidance, workplace exposure, and strengthened stakeholder partnerships. The research aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by promoting inclusive skills development and employment readiness. Its potential contribution to educational, socioeconomic, and community sustainability lies in supporting lifelong learning, equitable employment preparation, and improved workforce participation among ALS graduates.

The increasing demand for digital competencies in the current labor market has intensified concerns regarding the employability of unemployed graduates, particularly in developing economies. This study examined the impact of a short online digital skills training program on the employability readiness of unemployed graduates in Cebu City, Philippines. A quasi-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design was employed to assess changes in participants' employability readiness following a structured, self-paced online training intervention. The program focused on productivity software, digital communication platforms, and online job-search strategies. Employability readiness was measured using a validated, researcher-developed questionnaire assessing digital literacy, job-application preparedness, digital communication skills, and job-search confidence. The instrument demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency, with an overall Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.88. Results indicated a statistically significant improvement in participants' employability readiness after completing the intervention (t = 9.87, p < 0.001). Improvements were observed across all measured dimensions, with the greatest increase found in job-search confidence. While the findings suggest that participation in the online training program was associated with improved employability readiness, the absence of a control group limits causal interpretation. Nevertheless, the study highlights the potential of short-duration online digital skills training as a practical and scalable strategy for supporting workforce preparedness among unemployed graduates in developing-country contexts. Future studies employing more rigorous experimental designs are recommended to validate these findings further.

Malaysia’s graduate unemployment rate declined during 2020–2024, but a substantial share of employed graduates continued to work in occupations classified below the skilled level. This descriptive study distinguishes between access to employment and occupational placement using the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s (DOSM) Graduates Statistics 2024 release. The published aggregate series shows graduate unemployment falling from 4.4% in 2020 to 3.2% in 2024, while skill-related underemployment rose from 29.5% to 32.2% over the same period. In 2024, 1.60 million graduates were skill-related underemployed, and the rate among employed graduates aged 24 years and below reached 66.0%. The gap between the overall graduate median monthly wage of RM4,521 and the median for graduates in semi-skilled occupations of RM2,550 further illustrates differences in occupational outcomes. The evidence describes a coexistence of low unemployment and persistent occupational underutilization; it does not identify causes or prove that individual skills are mismatched. The contribution is a three-part monitoring distinction between employment access, occupational placement and earnings quality, and a proposal to use longitudinal and employer-linked data to distinguish transitions into suitable work from persistent underemployment.

نرخ بیکاری فارغ‌التحصیلان در مالزی طی سال‌های ۲۰۲۰ تا ۲۰۲۴ کاهش یافته است، اما سهم قابل توجهی از فارغ‌التحصیلان شاغل همچنان در مشاغلی که زیر سطح مهارتی طبقه‌بندی می‌شوند، مشغول به کار هستند. این مطالعه توصیفی بین دسترسی به اشتغال و جایگاه شغلی با استفاده از داده‌های منتشرشده توسط اداره آمار مالزی (DOSM) در گزارش آمار فارغ‌التحصیلان ۲۰۲۴ تمایز قائل می‌شود. سری‌های تجمعی منتشرشده نشان می‌دهد که بیکاری فارغ‌التحصیلان از ۴.۴٪ در سال ۲۰۲۰ به ۳.۲٪ در سال ۲۰۲۴ کاهش یافته است، در حالی که اشتغال کمتر از سطح مهارتی مرتبط در همین بازه زمانی از ۲۹.۵٪ به ۳۲.۲٪ افزایش یافته است. در سال ۲۰۲۴، تعداد ۱.۶۰ میلیون فارغ‌التحصیل دچار اشتغال کمتر از سطح مهارتی مرتبط بودند و این نرخ در میان فارغ‌التحصیلان شاغل زیر ۲۴ سال به ۶۶.۰٪ رسید. فاصله میانگین دستمزد ماهانه کلی فارغ‌التحصیلان (۴,۵۲۱ رینگیت مالزی) و میانگین دستمزد فارغ‌التحصیلان در مشاغل نیمه‌ماهر (۲,۵۵۰ رینگیت مالزی) نیز تفاوت در پیامدهای شغلی را بیشتر نشان می‌دهد. شواهد، همزیستی بیکاری پایین و تداوم استفاده ناکافی از ظرفیت شغلی را توصیف می‌کند؛ اما علل آن را شناسایی نمی‌کند و اثبات نمی‌کند که مهارت‌های فردی نامتناسب هستند. سهم این پژوهش، تمایز سه‌گانه در پایش بین دسترسی به اشتغال، جایگاه شغلی و کیفیت درآمد و همچنین پیشنهاد استفاده از داده‌های طولی و پیوندخورده با کارفرما برای تمایز بین گذار به کار مناسب و تداوم اشتغال کمتر از سطح مهارتی مرتبط است.