Link and match implementation enhancing graduate capability and employability in vocational education

Tika Sylviani Gusti; Yasdinul Huda; Mukhlidi Muskhir; M. Giatman

doi:10.32698/03072

Link and match implementation enhancing graduate capability and employability in vocational education

Tika Sylviani Gusti⁽¹⁾, Yasdinul Huda⁽²⁾, Mukhlidi Muskhir⁽³⁾, M. Giatman⁽⁴⁾,
(1) Universitas Negeri Padang

Indonesia
(2) Universitas Negeri Padang

Indonesia
(3) Universitas Negeri Padang

Indonesia
(4) Universitas Negeri Padang

Indonesia

Corresponding Author

DOI : https://doi.org/10.32698/03072

Full Text:

Language : en

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the effects of Link and Match implementation on graduate capability and graduate employability in vocational education. Methods: A quantitative explanatory survey was conducted involving 116 respondents selected through total sampling from SMK Muhammadiyah 2 Cileungsi, including school management, Grade XII students, graduates, and industry representatives. Data were collected using a validated five-point Likert questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson and Spearman correlation, and multiple linear regression. Results: Graduate capability showed the strongest relationship with employability (r = 0.636), while Link and Match implementation significantly influenced graduate capability and employability. Together, both predictors explained 49.7% of the variance in graduate employability (R² = 0.497, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Strengthening sustainable school–industry collaboration and competency-based learning is essential for improving graduate capability and enhancing employability in vocational education.

Keywords

Graduate Capability; Graduate Employability; Link And Match; Vocational Education

References

Agezew, B. H., & Erdei, G. (2026). Pathways to graduates’ employability: analysis of labor market outcomes in Ethiopian higher education and vocational training institutions. Frontiers in Education, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1778312

Ahmad, I., & Mastiani, E. (2025). School partnership strategies with business and industry to enhance the employability. At Turots: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 1731–1739.

Bello, H., Shu’aibu, B., Bin Saud, M. S., & Buntat, Y. (2013). Ict skills for technical and vocational education graduates’ employability. World Applied Sciences Journal, 23(2), 204–207. https://doi.org/10.5829/idosi.wasj.2013.23.02.588

Bonnard, C. (2023). The Vocational Drift of French Higher Education and the Employability of Graduates. In Rethinking Graduate Employability in Context: Discourse, Policy and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20653-5_9

Çağlar, A., Alp, E., Çetinkaya, E., & Karadeniz, O. (2026). Enhancing graduate employability through extended internships in vocational higher education: Evidence from Türkiye. International Journal of Educational Development, 121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2026.103515

Dehnie, F. A., Kidane, B. Z., & Demissie, M. M. (2026). Cooperative Training as a Mediator Between Training Materials and Graduates’ Employability in the Ethiopian Vocational Education. International Journal of Training and Development, 30(2), 179–191. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijtd.70014

Echeverria-Guzman, A., Rumbaut, D., George-Reyes, C. E., Valderrey, M., & Tolozano, G. (2025). IMPACT OF TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ON THE EMPLOYABILITY OF UNIVERSITY GRADUATES; [IMPACTO DE LA FORMACIÓN TÉCNICA Y PROFESIONAL EN LA EMPLEABILIDAD DE LOS EGRESADOS UNIVERSITARIOS]. Proceedings of the LACCEI International Multi-Conference for Engineering, Education and Technology. https://doi.org/10.18687/LEIRD2025.1.1.409

Finch, D. J., & McIntyre, S. (2021). Bridging the gap between marketing education and the marketing profession: Applying an integrated dynamics capabilities view of new graduate employability. In Research Anthology on Business and Technical Education in the Information Era. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-5345-9.ch044

Finch, D. J., Peacock, M., Levallet, N., & Foster, W. (2016). A dynamic capabilities view of employability: Exploring the drivers of competitive advantage for university graduates. Education and Training, 58(1), 61–81. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-02-2015-0013

Fraser, C. J., Duignan, G., Stewart, D., & Rodrigues, A. (2019). Overt and covert: Strategies for building employability skills of vocational education graduates. Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 10(1), 157–172. https://doi.org/10.21153/jtlge2019vol10no1art782

Gholibi, M. I., Syadeli, S., Suherman, S., Anriani, N., & Worapun, W. (2024). Link and match learning on the quality of vocational graduates in Banten province, Indonesia. Journal of Green Learning, 4(2), 91–99.

Habibi, B., & Hapsari, I. (2021). Management of Partnerships between Vocational High Schools with Business and Industri to Improve Graduate Competencies. ICONS 2020: Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Social Science, Humanities, Education and Society Development, ICONS 2020, 30 November, Tegal, Indonesia, 110.

Hermawan, T. C., Abdullah, G., Nugroho, A. A., & Sudarbi, M. H. (2026). Improving Vocational High School Quality: Link and Match, Teacher Professional Competence, and School Culture. Jurnal Pemberdayaan Masyarakat, 5(1), 193–209.

Ilieva-Trichkova, P. (2014). A capability perspective on employability of higher education graduates in Bulgaria. Social Work and Society, 12(2). https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84910048327?origin=resultslist

Ioannides, M. G., & Papazis, S. A. (2016). Development of new curricula in vocational education for the needs of enterprises and employability of graduates. 2016 15th International Conference on Information Technology Based Higher Education and Training, ITHET 2016. https://doi.org/10.1109/ITHET.2016.7760753

Irwanto, I. (2025). KAJIAN STUDI LITERATUR: IMPLEMENTASI PROGRAM LINK AND MATCH TERHADAP DAYA SERAP LULUSAN SMK DI INDUSTRI. Social Sciences Journal, 3(1), 54–58.

Jooma, N., Malinga, K. S., & Ndlovu, V. (2025). Employers’ Perspective of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College Graduates’ Sustainable Employability: Exploring the South African Wholesale and Retail Sector. In Organisational Behaviour, Communication, and Digitalisation in a Changing World. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-87417-8_9

Kasanah, H. U., Sari, M. N., Tarso, T., & Purwanto, E. (2025). School–industry collaboration in vocational education: Partnership management at SMKN Windusari. Curricula: Journal of Curriculum Development, 4(2), 1229–1240.

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

Kim, Y.-A., Kim, K.-A., & Tzokas, N. (2022). Entrepreneurial universities and the effect of the types of vocational education and internships on graduates’ employability. Studies in Higher Education, 47(5), 1000–1009. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2022.2055324

Mtawa, N., Fongwa, S., & Wilson-Strydom, M. (2021). Enhancing graduate employability attributes and capabilities formation: a service-learning approach. Teaching in Higher Education, 26(5), 679–695. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2019.1672150

Mukhadis, A., & Ulfatin, N. (2018). Synchronization of The Potential of Industrial World With School Profiles Vocationalt to Improve Quality and Capability Graduates of Vocational Schools in Indonesia. Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 24(2), 47–54.

Ningsih, O. W., Suyatno, S., & Hasanah, E. (2025). The Implementation of the Link and Match Program Between Vocational High Schools and the Business-Industrial Sectors. Edusoshum: Journal of Islamic Education and Social Humanities, 5(2), 449–460.

Nzonzo, J. C. (2017). Vocational education training and graduate employability in ZAF: An interlinkage in need of exploration. International Journal of Sustainable Society, 9(1), 4–19. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSSOC.2017.085721

Papadopoulos, T., & Armatas, C. (2013). Evaluation of an ict skills program: Enhancing graduate capabilities and employability. International Journal of Electronic Commerce Studies, 4(1), 93–102. https://doi.org/10.7903/ijecs.1115

Pohan, A. E., Nasution, F., & Mery, S. (2023). Link and Match Program Implementation: A Case Study at Vocational High School 1 Batam. Edcomtech: Jurnal Kajian Teknologi Pendidikan, 8(2), 89–101.

Rahayu, A., Wibowo, L. A., & Sulastri, S. (2020). Analysis of link and match policies in improving work readiness of vocational student in West Java. 3rd Global Conference On Business, Management, and Entrepreneurship (GCBME 2018), 179–181.

Saryadi, S., Maksum, I. R., & Juwono, V. (2024). Implementation of link and match policy to enhance employment of graduates: A case study in vocational high schools. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(8), 1–12.

Soltani, B., & Zegwaard, K. E. (2024). Capability reconceptualized: Towards a landscape of practice approach in graduate employability. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 25(4), 603–617. https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105009342005?origin=resultslist

Subkhan, E. (2023). Vocationalizing education: The dangers of link-and-match paradigm for the students’ future. In Education in Indonesia: Critical perspectives on equity and social justice (pp. 77–97). Springer.

Suprap, S., Sayuti, M., Santosa, B., Biddinika, M. K., Susanto, H. A., & Hasanah, N. (2024). Special Job Exchange Strategies for Enhancing Graduate Employability in Vocational High Schools Center of Excellence in Yogyakarta and Central Java. Journal of Vocational Education Studies, 7(2), 350–363.

Suryana, A. M., & Holik, A. (2026). Implementing Link and Match in Practice: A Comparative Study of Management Processes and Graduate Employability Outcomes. Journal of Innovation and Research in Primary Education, 5(1), 697–710.

Wafi, A. A., Subri, U. S., Zulkifli, R. M., Mohamed, S., Hanapi, Z., Rus, R. C., & Kamal, M. F. M. (2022). “You are Hired”: Technical and Vocational Education and Training Graduate Employability and Experts’ Views. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 30(2), 859–878. https://doi.org/10.47836/pjssh.30.2.23

Wahjusaputri, S., Rahmanto, M. A., Suciani, S., & Kustantini, S. (2024). Implementation of the 8+ i Link and Match Vocational School Program. Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn), 18(1), 72–78.

Widayanti, E., Yuliejantiningsih, Y., & Prayito, M. (2025). Implementation Of Link and Match in Enhancing Graduate Competen-cies at SMK Negeri 7 Semarang. Journal of Curriculum Indonesia, 8(1), 338–344.

Yoto, Sutadji, E., Marsono, Tjiptady, B. C., & Wibawa, A. P. (2022). Link and match between the industry and vocational education through the centre of excellence. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2489(1), 30008.