CONTRIBUTION OF CAREER READINESS AND SOFT SKILLS TO 21ST CENTURY WORK READINESS FOR VOCATIONAL SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SOUTH SULAWESI AND WEST SULAWESI

Abstract

The objectives of this study were 1) to determine the contribution of career maturity (vocational) to vocational students' job readiness in the 21st century; 2) to determine the contribution of soft skills to the 21st century work readiness of vocational students; and 3) to determine the simultaneous contribution of career maturity (vocational) and soft skills to 21st Century work readiness of vocational school students in South Sulawesi and West Sulawesi. This research was conducted in all Vocational High Schools in South Sulawesi and West Sulawesi. This study used a non-experimental quantitative approach, with a population of all students in class XII for all competencies of SMK in South Sulawesi and West Sulawesi, with data collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using simple regression analysis. Based on the results of research and discussion, it can be concluded that 1) The contribution of Career Maturity to Work Readiness in the 21st Century is 24.12%. 2) Contribution of Soft Skills to Work Readiness in the 21st Century amounted to 57.6%. The simultaneous contribution of Career Maturity and Soft Skills to Work Readiness in the 21st Century was 56.83%. Based on this research, career maturity is a process of personal development related to selecting, entering and achieving advancements in the fields of education and work. Schools, which are where the learning process is ideally able to provide basic knowledge and a number of special skills and training that can bring students together with the requirements in the world of work. The level of soft skills that each individual has is different. Schools as a place for student selfdevelopment should improve or maintain the application of soft skills properly in between lessons. Besides being able to improve student learning outcomes, soft skills can also be a provision for students to enter the world of work.