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DOI: 10.15507/1991-9468.116.028.202403.436-453

The Role of Work-Based Learning in Enhancing Career Adaptability: An Empirical Study from Vocational Students in Indonesian and Malaysian Universities

Tuatul Mahfud
Ph.D. (Edu.), Associate Professor of Vocational HR Development, Balikpapan State Polytechnic (KM. 8 Soekarno Hatta St., Balikpapan 76127, Indonesia), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6081-6306, Scopus ID: 57200122329, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Alias Masek
Ph.D. (Edu.), Associate Professor of Technical and Vocational Education, Tun Hussein Onn University of Malaysia (КМ. 1 Panchor St., Johor 86400, Malaysia), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6782-1434, Scopus ID: 57205396730, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Suyitno Suyitno
Ph.D. (Edu.), Associate Professor of Automotive Engineering Education, Muhamadiyah University of Purworejo (3 K.H.A. Dahlan St., Purworejo 54114, Indonesia), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0314-2445, Scopus ID: 57211426512, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ade Novi Nurul Ihsani
Ph.D. (Edu.), Associate Professor of Beauty Education, State University of Semarang (H Kampus UNNES Sekaran St., Semarang 50229, Indonesia), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3283-8524, Scopus ID: 57201505118, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Yulia Fransisca
M.Pd. (Edu.), Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering Education, State University of Surabaya (Lidah Wetan St., Surabaya 60213, Indonesia), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5930-1117, Scopus ID: 57201849821, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ponco Wali Pranoto
M.Pd. (Edu.), Assistant Professor of Electronic and Informatic Engineering, Yogyakarta State University (1 Colombo St., Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6937-1174, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Aji Pranoto
M.Pd. (Edu.), Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Science and Technology Yogyakarta (28 Kalisahak St., Yogyakarta 55222, Indonesia), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5428-5107, Scopus ID: 57216610299, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Samsul Hadi
M.Pd. (Edu.), Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa University (1043 Batikan St., Yogyakarta 55167, Indonesia), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4656-6938, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Arif Susanto
Ph.D. (Edu.), Assistant Professor of Automotive Engineering Education, Muhamadiyah University of Purworejo (3 K.H.A. Dahlan St., Purworejo 54114, Indonesia), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5476-7835, Scopus ID: 57214121496, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract
Introduction. Career adaptability has been recognized as one of the skills needed to face changing needs in the world of work. This study is increasingly interesting from the perspective of instilling career adaptability in a vocational university environment. The importance of mastering career adaptability has been established, but the interaction between predictors such as work-based learning factors, curriculum relevance, university support, career self-efficacy has not been well-defined. This study aims to investigate the role of work-based learning, curriculum relevance, university support, and career self-efficacy on university students’ career adaptability.
Materials and Methods. We involved 476 vocational students from universities in Indonesia and Malaysia. The data analysis used structural equation modelling (SEM) to test direct and indirect effects of career adaptability. The study utilizes the Amos 18 software for SEM analysis. This study used 200 bootstrap samples and a bias-corrected confidence interval of 90% to analyse the mediation role.
Results. The study results reveal that work-based learning, curriculum relevance, university support, and career self-efficacy directly influence the career adaptability of vocational students. Another finding is that career self-efficacy was proven to mediate the effect of work-based learning and university support on vocational students’ career adaptability. Career self-efficacy does not mediate the effect of curriculum relevance on vocational students’ career adaptability.
Discussion and Conclusion. The results of this study provide important implications for vocational education practitioners to promote career adaptability in the university environment through various work-based learning programs, curriculum relevance, university support, and career self-efficacy. Also, the result will guide the ongoing WBL curriculum review and improvement in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Keywords: career adaptability, work-based learning, curriculum relevance, university support, career self-efficacy, vocational education

Conflict of interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

For citation: Mahfud T., Masek A., Suyitno S., Ihsani A.N.N., Fransisca Y., Pranoto P.W., et al. The Role of Work-Based Learning in Enhancing Career Adaptability: An Empirical Study from Vocational Students in Indonesian and Malaysian Universities. Integration of Education. 2024;28(3):436–453. https://doi.org/10.15507/1991-9468.116.028.202403.436-453

All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Submitted 19.04.2024;
revised 13.06.2024;
accepted 20.06.2024.

Authors’ contribution:
T. Mahfud – main research concepts; questionnaire development; data analysis; manuscript writing; manuscript submiting.
A. Masek – collecting data; manuscript review; english proofreading.
S. Suyitno – collecting data; data analysis; interpretation of results.
A. N. N. Ihsani – collecting data; manuscript writing.
Y. Fransisca – collecting data; data analysis; and manuscript writing.
P. W. Pranoto – collecting data; manuscript review.
A. Pranoto – collecting data; interpretation of results.
S. Hadi – collecting data; data analysis; manuscript writing.
A. Susanto – collecting data; manuscript writing.

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