The Relationship between Industrial Internship Experience and the Work Readiness of Automotive Engineering Education Students in the Industry 4.0 Era

Authors

  • Dani Irawan Automotive Engineering Education Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
  • Achmad Zulva Al Hafiz Automotive Engineering Education Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
  • Aditya Fachrul Yuansyah Automotive Engineering Education Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
  • Rivaldo Rivaldo Automotive Engineering Education Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
  • Adelio Boby Jonathan Automotive Engineering Education Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
  • Erico Septianto Automotive Engineering Education Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
  • Afrian Dwi Wahyudi Automotive Engineering Education Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
  • Firman Hassya Wiryawan Automotive Engineering Education Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61650/ajme.v3i2.1421

Keywords:

industrial internship experience, work readiness, vocational education, Automotive Engineering Education, Industry 4.0

Abstract

The technological transformation associated with the Industry 4.0 era has increased demands on prospective workers, including technical skills, adaptability, problem-solving, communication, and readiness to enter professional environments. Industrial internships connect higher education learning with real workplace situations. This study aimed to examine the relationship between industrial internship experience and work readiness among students of the Automotive Engineering Education Study Program at Universitas Negeri Malang. The study employed a quantitative approach using a correlational survey design. Data were collected through Likert-scale questionnaires measuring industrial internship experience as variable X and work readiness as variable Y. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and simple linear regression. The results indicated a strong positive correlation between industrial internship experience and work readiness (r = 0.787, p < 0.001, N = 55). The regression model yielded a slope coefficient of 0.988, t = 9.282, F = 86.152, and R² = 0.619. The model explained 61.9% of the variance in work-readiness scores within the study sample. These findings highlight the relevance of structured industry-based learning experiences, while acknowledging that a correlational research design does not establish a causal relationship.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Caballero, C. L., Walker, A., & Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M. (2011). The Work Readiness Scale (WRS): Developing a measure to assess work readiness in college graduates. Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.21153/jtlge2011vol2no1art552

Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453–465. https://doi.org/10.1177/1080569912460400

Gustiawan, W., Putri, B. K. D., Azra, T., & Sari, M. P. (2025). Internship programme and work readiness among vocational students. Issues and Perspectives in Business and Social Sciences, 5(1), 15–26. https://doi.org/10.33093/ipbss.2025.5.1.2

Supriyanto, S., Munadi, S., Daryono, R. W., Tuah, Y. A. E., Nurtanto, M., & Arifah, S. (2022). The influence of internship experience and work motivation on work readiness in vocational students: PLS-SEM analysis. Indonesian Journal on Learning and Advanced Education, 5(1), 32–44. https://doi.org/10.23917/ijolae.v5i1.20033

Larosa, E., Gani, I. P., & Mbakwa, P. N. (2022). The effect of industrial practice experience on student's work readiness of machinery engineering vocational school. International Journal of Education and Curriculum Application, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.31764/ijeca.v5i2.10135

Nurjanah, I., Ana, A., & Masek, A. (2022). Systematic literature review: Work readiness of vocational high school graduates in facing the industrial 4.0 era. Jurnal Pendidikan Teknologi dan Kejuruan, 28(2). https://doi.org/10.21831/jptk.v28i2.48552

Kholifah, N., Nurtanto, M., Sutrisno, V. L. P., Majid, N. W. A., Subakti, H., Daryono, R. W., & Achmadi. (2025). Unlocking workforce readiness through digital employability skills in vocational education graduates: A PLS-SEM analysis based on human capital theory. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 11, 101625. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101625

Musa, S., Nurhayati, S., & Boriboon, G. (2025). The effect of internships on graduates’ employability, soft skills, and digital competence. Educational Process: International Journal, 17, e2025306. https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2025.17.306

Jackson, D. (2015). Employability skill development in work-integrated learning: Barriers and best practice. Studies in Higher Education, 40(2), 350–367. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2013.842221

Young, K., McKenzie, S., & Thomas, J. (2024). A work-integrated learning framework: The what, where and how of evaluating WIL. Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 15(1), 393–408. https://doi.org/10.21153/jtlge2024vol15no1art1986

Chowdhury, F. (2020). Work integrated learning at tertiary level to enhance graduate employability in Bangladesh. International Journal of Higher Education, 9(4), 61–70. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v9n4p61

Irwansyah, M. R., Meitriana, M. A., & Suwena, K. R. (2020). Student work readiness in vocational high school. Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research. https://doi.org/10.2991/aebmr.k.201212.040

Helyer, R., & Lee, D. (2014). The role of work experience in the future employability of higher education graduates. Higher Education Quarterly, 68, 348–372. https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.12055

Shoenfelt, E. L., Stone, N. J., & Kottke, J. L. (2013). Internships: An established mechanism for increasing employability. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 6(1), 24–27. https://doi.org/10.1111/iops.12004

Dara, D., Nguyen, T. T., & Putra, D. M. (2026). Beyond digital skills: Work-integrated learning, adaptability, and the thresholds for graduate work readiness. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 16(3), 616–630. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-10-2025-0446

Safrani, I. D. P., Madhakomala, R., & Mayasari, L. I. (2026). Vocational education partnerships and Industry 4.0 workforce readiness. Academia Open, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.21070/acopen.11.2026.14415

Wijaya, R. S., Purwana, D., & Suherdi. (2025). Internship experience and work interest as predictors of work readiness among office automation and management vocational students. Jurnal Pendidikan Ekonomi, Perkantoran, dan Akuntansi, 6(2), 377–388. https://doi.org/10.21009/jpepa.0602.13

Ma’arif, S., Zulaihati, S., & Swaramarinda, D. R. (2025). Assessing the impact of internship, self-efficacy, and career guidance on work readiness in vocational school students. Jurnal Pendidikan Ekonomi, Perkantoran, dan Akuntansi, 6(1), 87–97. https://doi.org/10.21009/jpepa.0601.08

Abdullah-Al-Mamun, M. (2012). The soft skills education for the vocational graduate: Value as work readiness skills. Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 2(4), 326–338. https://doi.org/10.9734/BJESBS/2012/1858

Naufalin, L. R., Indriayu, M., & Sulistyandari. (2024). Work readiness Generation Z’s on diploma programme: The influence internship program and digital literacy. Jurnal Pendidikan Vokasi, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.21831/jpv.v14i2.73642

Widodo, S. F. A., Munadi, S., Harjanto, C. T., Prasetya, T. A., & Muflih, B. K. (2025). Managing soft skills development in vocational higher education: A case study of institutional practices in Indonesia. Jurnal Pendidikan Vokasi, 15(2). https://doi.org/10.21831/jpv.v15i2.73825

Megasari, E. M., Yoto, & Widiyanti. (2025). The role of internship experience, soft skills, and self-efficacy in enhancing vocational readiness: A systematic literature review. Didaktika: Jurnal Kependidikan. https://doi.org/10.58230/27454312.3032

Rahmawati, R., & Rosy, B. (2025). The mediating role of attitude: Internships and learning achievement on work readiness. Journal of Office Administration: Education and Practice, 5(2), 69–83. https://doi.org/10.26740/joaep.v5n2.p69-83

Kamal, A. S., Syahrul, & Arfandi, A. (2025). Soft skills and learning facilities on job readiness mediated by learning motivation of vocational high school. ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review, 5(1), 785–800. https://doi.org/10.51574/ijrer.v5i1.4473

Herawati, & Turangan, J. A. (2025). The effect of internship experience, self-efficacy and soft skills on job readiness Generation Z in Jabodetabek. International Journal of Application on Economics and Business. https://doi.org/10.24912/ijaeb.v3i2.802-81

Published

2025-03-30

How to Cite

Irawan, D., Hafiz, A. Z. A., Yuansyah, A. F., Rivaldo, R., Jonathan, A. B., Septianto, E., … Wiryawan, F. H. (2025). The Relationship between Industrial Internship Experience and the Work Readiness of Automotive Engineering Education Students in the Industry 4.0 Era. Assyfa Journal of Multidisciplinary Education, 3(2), 227–243. https://doi.org/10.61650/ajme.v3i2.1421

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.