Abstract:

Vocational high schools in Indonesia, which run under either the three-year or four-year programme, constitute a formal education system that prepares future skilled workers ready to work. The focus of this study was to capture the skills and competencies of three-year and four-year vocational high school programme graduates. This study employed a ualitative multi-site study approach through the constant comparative method, and necessary data were gathered through in-depth interviews and observations. Research results revealed that four-year vocational high school programme graduates had higher competencies and vocational maturity compared to three-year vocational high school programme graduates in terms of academic skills, basic technical skills, as well as technical and employability skills. Therefore, four-year vocational high school programme graduates qualify to fill up operator 3 positions and are equivalent to Diploma 1 holders. Keyword: three-year programme, four-year programme, academic skills, technical skills, employability skills, vocational education

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