Figure 1
Mapping of internship students’ work location and job
| No. | Expertise program | Room | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Machining engineering | Manufacturing production | a. Machine Planning
|
b. Machine Production Execution
| |||
c. Final stage of machine production
| |||
| 2 | Welding engineering | Welding production | a. Connection planning
|
b. Implementation of connections
| |||
c. Final stage of work
| |||
| 3 | Light vehicle engineering and heavy equipment engineering | Manufacturing and welding production | a. Modification design planning
|
Questionnaire of challenges and improvement areas
| Number | Statements |
|---|---|
| 1 | Our company faces challenges in integrating interns into our regular workflow |
| 2 | There is a need for better alignment between VS training and industry requirements |
| 3 | Interns require more supervision and mentoring than our current capacity allows |
| 4 | The administrative processes involved in the internship program are too cumbersome |
| 5 | Our company would benefit from more frequent interactions with VS staff |
Data variable of readiness of facilities and infrastructure provision in industry
| No. | Indicator | Score | Maximum score | Average (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Infrastructure facility | 249 | 380 | 63.15 |
| 2 | Machine facility | 235 | 304 | 80.26 |
| Total average (%) | 71.71 | |||
Distribution of population and sample
| No. | Company | Population | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | PT. Boma Bisma Indra Pasuruan | 16 | 11 |
| 2. | PT. Kalitelu Tulungagung | 12 | 9 |
| 3. | PT. PAL Indonesia Surabaya | 24 | 17 |
| 4. | PT. Indospring Gresik | 29 | 20 |
| 5. | PT. Insastama Kediri | 20 | 13 |
| 6. | PT. Artawena Sakti Gemilang Malang | 21 | 14 |
| 7 | PT. Rimba Kencana Malang | 18 | 13 |
| 8 | PT. Dempo Laser Surabaya | 12 | 9 |
| Total | 152 | 105 | |
Comparative analysis of results with national and international studies
| Key area | Findings from this study | National studies | International studies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internship placement | Internships in Machining and Welding significantly contribute to students’ technical skills and readiness for the workforce, but consistency varies across industries | Highlighted the importance of tailored internships in enhancing student employability in Indonesia (Ali et al., 2020) | Australian studies emphasize structured internships to enhance work-readiness (Cavanagh et al., 2015) |
| Collaboration programs | The Link and Match program enhances curriculum alignment with industry needs, but lacks standardized frameworks for collaboration | Discussed the challenges in industry collaboration under Indonesia’s Link and Match program (Romadin et al., 2021) | Germany’s Dual VET system offers a standardized framework, ensuring consistent collaboration (Pilz & Regel, 2021) |
| Provision of facilities | Facilities vary greatly between industries, with some offering advanced equipment while others face shortages, limiting students’ practical learning experience | Identified resource constraints in industries as a barrier to effective vocational training (Oke & Fernandes, 2020) | Similar facility gaps identified in Chinese vocational education (Yang & Ge, 2020) |
| Industry expectations | Industries value both technical and soft skills, but there is a need for greater focus on developing communication, teamwork, and leadership in vocational programs | Emphasized the need for holistic skills development in Indonesian vocational training programs (Pambudi & Harjanto, 2020) | International trends show increasing emphasis on soft skills in global industries (Munir, 2022) |
Data qualification
| Average score | Category |
|---|---|
| 1.00–1.75 | Disagree |
| 1.76–2.51 | Somewhat disagree |
| 2.52–3.27 | Agree |
| 3.28–4.00 | Strongly agree |
Questionnaire of perception of internship program effectiveness
| Number | Statements |
|---|---|
| 1 | The internship program adequately prepares students for real-world industry work |
| 2 | The collaboration with VS has improved our company’s productivity |
| 3 | Students from VS have the necessary technical skills required by our industry |
| 4 | The internship program helps our company identify potential future employees |
| 5 | Communication between our company and VS is effective and timely |
| 6 | VS’s curriculum is aligned with the needs of our industry |
| 7 | The internship program contributes to the professional growth of our employees |
| 8 | The duration of the internships is adequate for students to gain meaningful experience |
| 9 | The VS staff are supportive and responsive to our feedback and needs |
| 10 | Our company is satisfied with the overall quality of VS interns |
Questionnaire of open-ended questions
| Number | Question |
|---|---|
| 1 | What do you perceive as the most significant benefit of the collaboration between your company and VS? |
| 2 | What are your company’s critical challenges in hosting interns from VS? |
| 3 | How can the internship program be improved to meet the needs of your company better? |
| 4 | Any additional comments or suggestions |
Industry readiness in implementing collaboration program
| No. | Indicator | Total score | Maximum score | Average (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Readiness in confirming collaboration proposal submission | 433 | 532 | 80.6 |
| 2 | Industry preparedness in coordination with VS | 377 | 532 | 69.47 |
| 3 | Industry readiness in issuing memorandum of understanding | 468 | 684 | 67.76 |
| 4 | Implementation of link and match collaboration program | 387 | 608 | 62.93 |
| Total average (%) | 70.20 | |||