The Role of Internship Experience, Soft Skills, and Self-Efficacy in Enhancing Vocational Readiness: A Systematic Literature Review

Authors

  • Erika Marety Megasari Universitas Negeri Malang
  • Yoto Yoto Universitas Negeri Malang
  • Widiyanti Widiyanti Universitas Negeri Malang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58230/27454312.3032

Keywords:

Internship, Soft Skills, Self-Efficacy

Abstract

This study presents a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) examining the combined influence of internship experiences, soft skills, and self-efficacy on vocational readiness in vocational education and training (TVET) contexts. Drawing upon 25 peer-reviewed articles published between 2019 and 2025, the review highlights the interconnected nature of these three factors in shaping students’ preparedness for the labor market. The findings reveal that internships play a crucial role in bridging the gap between school-based learning and industry requirements, equipping students with practical competencies and professional exposure. Soft skills, including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability, are identified as essential for employability and workplace integration. Self-efficacy emerges as a psychological foundation that fosters motivation, resilience, and confidence, enabling students to succeed in both academic and professional settings. Importantly, the review underscores the synergistic relationship between these three dimensions, suggesting that integrative approaches are most effective in promoting holistic vocational readiness. Practical implications include the need for curriculum design that embeds structured internships, systematic soft skills training, and targeted interventions to enhance self-efficacy. The study also identifies limitations in research scope and proposes future studies that employ cross-cultural perspectives and longitudinal designs.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aggarwal, V., Rather, M., & Mehndroo, M. (2024). Fostering sustainable development through adolescent engagement in vocational education. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 13(S1). https://doi.org/10.32674/mzydyx87

Andriani, I., Ruhaena, L., & Prihartanti, N. (2022). Relationship between self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, and parental social support with learning motivation of university students in distance learning during the covid-19 pandemic. Journal an-Nafs Kajian Penelitian Psikologi, 7(2), 153-170. https://doi.org/10.33367/psi.v7i2.2315

Ardiyanto, A. (2025). Kesiapan kerja melalui efikasi diri, motivasi kerja, soft skill, dan praktik industri pada mahasiswa vokasi. El-Mal Jurnal Kajian Ekonomi & Bisnis Islam, 6(8). https://doi.org/10.47467/elmal.v6i8.8131

Arthur, P. and Koomson, S. (2023). Is student internship still beneficial today? the views of multi-parties in ghana. Psu Research Review, 8(3), 609-632. https://doi.org/10.1108/prr-01-2022-0003

Basir, N., Zubairi, Y., Jani, R., & Wahab, D. (2022). Soft skills and graduate employability: evidence from malaysian tracer study. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 30(4), 1975-1986. https://doi.org/10.47836/pjssh.30.4.26

Bosch, S. and Rice, D. (2024). An evaluation of the nunez community college quality enhancement program: assessing the impact of embedded conover workplace readiness® modules on students’ work readiness. Sage Open, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241251767

Casalone, G. and Baici, E. (2023). Education, off-the-job vocational training, and early employment outcomes: evidence from italy. Merits, 3(2), 390-404. https://doi.org/10.3390/merits3020022

Chang, N. and Isa, Z. (2024). Exploring the influence of teacher self-efficacy on teaching quality in higher vocational education. Journal of Digitainability Realism & Mastery (Dream), 3(07), 16-27. https://doi.org/10.56982/dream.v3i07.246

Chavarría, R., Rodríguez, R., & Río, C. (2020). Development of vocational maturity in university students with disabilities to access, obtain an internship and complete university studies. Education Sciences, 10(12), 386. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10120386

Chuang, Y., Huang, T., Lin, S., & Chen, B. (2022). The influence of motivation, self-efficacy, and fear of failure on the career adaptability of vocational school students: moderated by meaning in life. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.958334

Cipta, G. and Wahyuni, D. (2024). Productive competence, internship, and family support on student work readiness mediated by self-efficacy. Mimbar Ilmu, 29(1), 77-87. https://doi.org/10.23887/mi.v29i1.70525

Effendi, M. I., Elmunsyah, H., & Widiyanti, W. (2024). Peran Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) terhadap Ketercapaian 4C Skills (Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Collaboration, and Communication) Siswa SMK. Didaktika: Jurnal Kependidikan, 13(001 Des), 435-444. https://doi.org/10.58230/27454312.1677

Effendi, M. I., Elmunsyah, H., Widiyanti, Nurjanah, L., Firdausia, F., & Riza, F. (2024). Diversification of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Integrated Learning Models as an Innovation in Vocational Learning in the Merdeka Belajar Era. Didaktika: Jurnal Kependidikan, 13(1), 87-96. https://doi.org/10.58230/27454312.380

Effendi, M. I., & Yoto, Y. (2024). Pembelajaran Abad-21 Melalui Model Project Based Learning Terintegrasi STEM (PJBL-STEM) dalam Meningkatkan Kemampuan Berpikir Tingkat Tinggi. Briliant: Jurnal Riset dan Konseptual, 9(1), 67-73. https://doi.org/10.28926/briliant.v9i1.1637

Effendi, M. I., Dewi, R. S. I. ., Nurjanah, L. ., Dibtasari, B. A. ., & Amaliya, F. N. (2024). Meningkatkan Kreativitas Guru Melalui Pelatihan Pembuatan Aplikasi Sederhana Berbasis Canva Web Prototype. I-Com: Indonesian Community Journal, 4(3), 2256–2266. https://doi.org/10.33379/icom.v4i3.5300

Effendi, M. I., Mutmainnah, S., Nurjanah, N., Annaqita, S., & Ningtyas, S. W. (2024). Contribution of Canva For Education In Enhancing Students’ Creativity and Presentation Skills. PINUS: Jurnal Penelitian Inovasi Pembelajaran, 9(2), 13-26. https://doi.org/10.29407/pn.v9i2.21839

Effendi, M. I., Chisbiyah, L. A., & Firdausia, F. (2024). Studi Komparasi Pelatihan Guru Vokasi di Negara Indonesia dan Jepang. KIRYOKU, 8(1), 12-21. https://doi.org/10.14710/kiryoku.v8i1.12-21

Esmond, B. (2020). Vocational teachers and workplace learning: integrative, complementary and implicit accounts of boundary crossing. Studies in Continuing Education, 43(2), 156-173. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037x.2020.1767564

FITRIA, N. (2025). Localizing global goals: bekasi’s paradiplomacy in vocational education cooperation with japan. International Journal of Environmental Sustainability and Social Science, 6(4), 888-901. https://doi.org/10.38142/ijesss.v6i4.1613

Fu, L., Ayob, A., Xu, W., & Bamiro, N. (2023). The relationship between student self-efficacy and learning engagement at chinese vocational colleges during internship. Perspectives of Science and Education, 66(6), 160-173. https://doi.org/10.32744/pse.2023.6.9

Gong, J., Wang, R., Fangjin, W., & Fangliang, Z. (2023). Research on the training mode of innovative talents in higher vocational colleges based on "integration of production and education, school-enterprise cooperation". Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.25236/ajhss.2023.060403

Hardiyanto, W., Hatimah, I., Wahyudin, U., & Saepudin, A. (2022). Strategies to improve entrepreneurship skills of youth considering the business and industry effects. Economic Annals-Ххi, 197(5-6), 17-23. https://doi.org/10.21003/ea.v197-03

Hartati, L., Marsono, M., & Yoto, Y. (2022). The effect of the project-based learning model on the soft skill of vocational school students. Technium Social Sciences Journal, 27, 180-193. https://doi.org/10.47577/tssj.v27i1.5569

Hastutiningsih, A., Elviana, E., Eko, N., & Pramudiyanto, P. (2024). Development of vr learning media in vocational schools as a form of technology integration. Jurnal Pendidikan Vokasi Raflesia, 4(2), 63-74. https://doi.org/10.53494/jpvr.v4i2.449

Hu, S. (2025). Big five personality traits and employability: the mediating role of internship attitudes among chinese vocational students. Plos One, 20(8), e0329103. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329103

Huang, X., Cao, J., Zhao, G., Long, Z., Han, G., & Cai, X. (2022). The employability and career development of finance and trade college graduates. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.719336

Hui, Z. (2024). Cognitive load as a mediator in self-efficacy and english learning motivation among vocational college students. Plos One, 19(11), e0314088. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314088

Ilomäki, L., Löfgren, S., & Toom, A. (2022). Teachers’ perceptions on relevant upper-secondary vocational graduate competencies and their development. Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.3384/njvet.2242-458x.2212298

Indramayanti, V., Hasanah, E., & Sudarsono, B. (2024). Peran keterlibatan siswa dalam implementasi pembelajaran teaching factory terhadap kesiapan kerja siswa di smkn 1 jatibarang. Academy of Education Journal, 15(2), 1725-1734. https://doi.org/10.47200/aoej.v15i2.2673

Indrawati, C., Ninghardjanti‬, P., Dirgatama, C., & Wirawan, A. (2022). The effect of practicum learning based audiovisual on students’ learning outcomes in indonesian vocational secondary school. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (Ijere), 11(1), 403. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v11i1.21762

Iwacewicz-Orłowska, A. (2022). The role of international internships in the vocational education of technical secondary school students. Economic and Regional Studies / Studia Ekonomiczne I Regionalne, 15(4), 548-561. https://doi.org/10.2478/ers-2022-0037

Jiang, R. (2024). The mediating role of emotional intelligence between self-efficacy and resilience in chinese secondary vocational students. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1382881

Johansson, M. (2021). ”du har skött dig bra”: återkoppling inom arbetsplatsförlagt lärande utifrån yrkeselevers upplevda läroplan. Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 10(3), 99-121. https://doi.org/10.3384/njvet.2242-458x.2010399

Kamaruzaman, F., Othman, N., Omar, M., & Zaid, M. (2025). Future generic skills for technical vocational education graduates. International Journal of Learning Teaching and Educational Research, 24(3), 312-332. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.3.15

Kasim, A., Puad, M., & Abdullah, A. (2024). Exploring problem-solving and critical thinking skills of tvet students: an sme employer perspective. International Journal of Academic Research in Economics and Management Sciences, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarems/v13-i4/23262

Kholifah, N., Kurdi, M., Nurtanto, M., Mutohhari, F., Fawaid, M., & Subramaniam, T. (2023). The role of teacher self-efficacy on the instructional quality in 21st century: a study on vocational teachers, indonesia. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (Ijere), 12(2), 998. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v12i2.23949

Kusuma, H. and Yoto, Y. (2024). Collaboration skills in vocational schools in the information and communication technology (ict) sector. Briliant Jurnal Riset Dan Konseptual, 9(1), 158. https://doi.org/10.28926/briliant.v9i1.1674

Liu, H., Liu, M., & Hariyanto, D. (2020). The current state of the tvet teachers’ workplace learning in china. Journal of Physics Conference Series, 1446(1), 012034. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1446/1/012034

Mangaliag, A. (2025). Analysis of students’ views as basis for strengthening guidance for employment. International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research, 7(4). https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.50062

Maulidina, A. and Wijanarka, B. (2023). Analysis of work readiness based on soft skills, machining knowledge, and 5s work culture. European Journal of Education and Pedagogy, 4(4), 53-58. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejedu.2023.4.4.710

Moschion, J. and Polidano, C. (2025). Finding the right track: payoffs to vocational education programs with workplace learning. Education Finance and Policy, 20(2), 259-285. https://doi.org/10.1162/edfp_a_00427

Neyt, B., Verhaest, D., Navarini, L., & Baert, S. (2022). The impact of internship experience on schooling and labour market outcomes. Cesifo Economic Studies, 68(2), 127-154. https://doi.org/10.1093/cesifo/ifac001

Nong, S. and Osman, S. (2024). Needs of 21st century artistic skills for students' career readiness. International Journal of Modern Education, 6(20), 271-282. https://doi.org/10.35631/ijmoe.620021

Nykänen, M., Kurki, A., & Airila, A. (2022). Promoting workplace guidance and workplace–school collaboration in vocational training: a mixed-methods pilot study. Vocations and Learning, 15(2), 317-339. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-022-09289-5

Øgård, M., Hillen, S., & Wuttke, E. (2025). Thematic assignments making vocational concepts visible during students’ work placements in norwegian vocational education. Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40461-025-00180-w

Omar, M., Muhamad, W., Ismail, N., Zakaria, A., & Kadir, K. (2023). Employability skills and career development self-efficacy as indicators for workforce success. Journal of Technical Education and Training, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.30880/jtet.2023.15.03.011

Papp, I., Molnár, C., & Juhász, T. (2023). Soft skills of business students in relation to higher education internships. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 21(4), 113-126. https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.21(4).2023.09

Rachman, A., Sumali, B., Herawati, S., Cahyanti, F., Siregar, D., & Argo, J. (2024). Enhancing career pathways for maritime graduates through human resource management strategies. Green Inflation, 1(4), 151-166. https://doi.org/10.61132/greeninflation.v1i4.114

Rahayu, S., Meirawan, D., Muktiarni, M., Ghinaya, Z., & Sabitri, Z. (2024). Analyzing transferable skills of vocational students to align with industry demands. Jurnal Pensil, 13(1), 34-46. https://doi.org/10.21009/jpensil.v13i1.39803

Rahmi, F., Sari, L., & Rejeki, S. (2021). Identifikasi kesiapan memasuki dunia kerja melalui profil soft skill siswa smk. Bakti Sekawan Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat, 1(2), 51-55. https://doi.org/10.35746/bakwan.v1i2.176

Rashidi, S., Majid, F., & Hashim, H. (2022). Building soft-employability skills (ses-kit): reliability, face validity and content validity testing. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarped/v11-i3/14546

Saputro, I., Soenarto, S., & Sofyan, H. (2023). How to improve career construction for civil engineering students?. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (Ijere), 12(2), 1007. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v12i2.24323

Sauli, F., Wenger, M., & Berger, J. (2021). Supporting apprentices’ integration of school- and workplace-based learning in swiss initial vocational education and training. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 26(4), 387-409. https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2021.1980660

Setiyo, S., Riyanto, Y., & Nurlaela, L. (2019). Cognitive apprenticeship improves self efficacy at aviation polytechnic of surabaya. Journal of Education and Vocational Research, 10(1(V)), 9-11. https://doi.org/10.22610/jevr.v10i1(v).2958

Sidi, P. (2025). Pelatihan pemrograman autocad untuk smk pgri 4 surabaya. Bulletin of Community Engagement, 5(2), 122-134. https://doi.org/10.51278/bce.v5i2.1773

Sönmez, Ö., Kudysheva, A., & Мухаметкаиров, А. (2023). High class students soft skills development technologies. Pedagogical Bulletin of Kazakhstan, 4(1), 33-46. https://doi.org/10.52301/1991-0614-2023-4-33-46

Sulistiobudi, R. and Kadiyono, A. (2023). Employability of students in vocational secondary school: role of psychological capital and student-parent career congruences. Heliyon, 9(2), e13214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13214

Tavener, M., Majeed, T., Bagade, T., Weaver, N., Reeves, P., D'Silva, S., … & James, E. (2021). Mixed method evaluation of a graduate student teaching and learning internship program. Frontiers in Public Health, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.762863

Thianthai, C. and Sutamchai, K. (2022). Skills that matter: qualitative study focusing on the transfer of training through the experience of thai vocational students. Frontiers in Education, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.897808

Tibi, P. (2023). Vocational interest, skills, and counselling as correlates of unemployed graduates’ readiness to enter low-paying occupations in delta state of nigeria. International Research Journal of Management It and Social Sciences, 11(1), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.21744/irjmis.v11n1.2389

Tisa, T., Asriati, N., & Syamsuri, S. (2024). Implementation of 21st century soft skills in vocational high schools to face the workforce. Education Achievement Journal of Science and Research, 534-542. https://doi.org/10.51178/jsr.v5i2.1974

Vos, M., Baartman, L., Vleuten, C., & Bruijn, E. (2023). How do workplace educators assess student performance at the workplace? a qualitative systematic review. Vocations and Learning, 17(1), 165-188. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-023-09328-9

Wei, H. (2024). The impact of strengthening practical teaching in vocational education on improving students’ employability. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.2478/amns-2024-2323

Wulandari, R. (2024). Empowering maritime education: the impact of internships on industry readiness. E3s Web of Conferences, 577, 02015. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202457702015

Yang, W., Chinedu, C., Chen, W., Saleem, A., Ogunniran, M., Estrella, D., … & Barahona, B. (2024). Building capacity for sustainability education: an analysis of vocational teachers’ knowledge, readiness, and self-efficacy. Sustainability, 16(9), 3535. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093535

Yeri, M. (2025). Project based learning: strengthening technical vocational education for quality learning and workforce readiness. PEMJ, 46(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.70838/pemj.460101

Yuliani, S., Nasikh, N., & Hermawan, A. (2025). The effect of role models and entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intention with internship program as a mediation variable (study on students of bdp department in bojonegoro). Journal of Educational Analytics, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.55927/jeda.v4i1.32

Yuliyanto, R., Susilaningsih, S., & Indriayu, M. (2024). Understanding vocational school students’ work readiness : the synergistic role of fieldwork practice and self-efficacy. Jurnal Kependidikan Jurnal Hasil Penelitian Dan Kajian Kepustakaan Di Bidang Pendidikan Pengajaran Dan Pembelajaran, 10(2), 489. https://doi.org/10.33394/jk.v10i2.11118

Zahir, N., Hashim, S., Amiruddin, M., Ismail, M., & Nincarean, D. (2024). Students’ soft skills and their readiness towards industrial revolution in technical and vocational education and training (tvet): a malaysian sight. Online Journal for Tvet Practitioners, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.30880/ojtp.2024.09.01.004

Zhang, J. (2025). Establishing the relationship between soft skills and work readiness among vocational students in china. Environment and Social Psychology, 10(8). https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i8.3709

Zixuan, B., Omar, M. K., & Mohd Puad, M. H. (2025). Employability Skills and Career Adaptability Among TVET Students: What Matters?. Asian Journal of Vocational Education And Humanities, 6(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.53797/ajvah.v6i1.1.2025

Downloads

Published

2025-11-18

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 4 Nopember (2025): Didaktika Jurnal Kependidikan

Section

Articles

License

Dengan mengirimkan naskah artikel, berarti penulis setuju dengan segala kebijakan yang ditetapkan oleh jurnal dan penerbit.

Penulis menyatakan bahwa:

  • kebijakan ini telah diketahui dan disetujui bersama oleh semua penulis;
  • naskah artikel belum dipublikasikan secara resmi sebelumnya di media ber-ISSN atau ber-ISBN yang terdaftar, kecuali dalam bentuk abstrak atau sebagai bagian dari materi kuliah, atau skripsi/tesis/disertasi yang tidak diterbitkan;
  • naskah tidak sedang dalam proses editorial dan dipertimbangkan untuk publikasi di tempat lain;
  • publikasi naskah ini telah disetujui oleh semua penulis, institusi afiliasi penulis, otoritas yang bertanggung jawab, dan lembaga di mana kegiatan telah dilakukan;
  • naskah berisi materi yang aman dari pelanggaran hak cipta;

Perjanjian Hak Cipta dan Lisensi

  • Penulis memiliki hak cipta dan hak kepemilikan lainnya yang terkait dengan artikel.
  • Penulis memiliki hak dan diizinkan untuk menggunakan substansi artikel untuk karya-karya penulis berikutnya, termasuk untuk keperluan bahan/materi kuliah dan buku.
  • Penulis menyerahkan hak publikasi pertama kepada jurnal dengan di bawah Lisensi Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0).

Pernyataan Lisensi CC BY 4.0

Anda diperbolehkan:

  • Berbagi — menyalin dan menyebarluaskan kembali materi ini dalam bentuk atau format apapun;
  • Adaptasi — menggubah, mengubah, dan membuat turunan dari materi ini untuk kepentingan apapun, termasuk kepentingan komersial.

Pemberi lisensi tidak dapat mencabut ketentuan di atas sepanjang Anda mematuhi ketentuan lisensi berikut ini.

  • Atribusi — Anda harus mencantumkan nama yang sesuai, mencantumkan tautan terhadap lisensi, dan menyatakan bahwa telah ada perubahan yang dilakukan. Anda dapat melakukan hal ini dengan cara yang sesuai, namun tidak mengisyaratkan bahwa pemberi lisensi mendukung Anda atau penggunaan Anda.
  • Tidak ada pembatasan tambahan — Anda tidak dapat menggunakan ketentuan hukum atau sarana kontrol teknologi yang secara hukum membatasi orang lain untuk melakukan hal-hal yang diizinkan lisensi ini.

How to Cite

Megasari, E. M. ., Yoto, Y., & Widiyanti, W. (2025). The Role of Internship Experience, Soft Skills, and Self-Efficacy in Enhancing Vocational Readiness: A Systematic Literature Review. Didaktika: Jurnal Kependidikan, 14(4 Nopember), 6353-6370. https://doi.org/10.58230/27454312.3032