







































Humanitas: Indonesian Psychological Journal  

Vol. 22 (2), August 2025, 115-126 

ISSN:  2598-6368(online); 1693-7236(print)                                                              

       humanitas@psy.uad.ac.id             http://journal1.uad.ac.id/index.php/Humanitas            https://doi.org/10.26555/humanitas.v22i1.1327 

Work readiness among vocational high school students: Learning agility 

and perceived social support  

Zakira Adila Jari, Pratista Arya Satwika 

Department of Psychology, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia 
Corresponding author: pratista@staff.uns.ac.id  

 

 

This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA license. 

 

Introduction 

Vocational High School (SMK) in its capacity as one of the components of the National 
Education System has a priority in developing students' abilities. These abilities, such as 
being able to work in certain fields through the provision of relevant provisions and specific 
skills (Andrianus, 2020), make SMK the right institutions to prepare individuals who are 
ready to enter the world of work. This is because the learning process in SMK involves 
increasing knowledge, skills, attitudes, and competencies that are useful for students to 
maintain competitiveness among the many individuals seeking employment. However, 
graduates from SMKs are not fully able to keep up with the demands of the world of work 
(Santika et al., 2023).  

Data obtained from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) shows that the Open 

Unemployment Rate (TPT) for SMK graduates has consistently been the highest in 

Indonesia compared to other education levels in the last three years. Although there is a 

ARTICLE INFO 

 

ABSTRACT 

 
Article history 
Received: 6 March 2025 
Revised: 6 August 2025  
Accepted: 12 August 2025 

 In Indonesia, the highest percentage of the Open Unemployment Rate 
(TPT) comes from graduates of Vocational High Schools (SMK), 
reaching 9.01%. One of the main causes is the lack of work readiness. 
To address this issue, exploring factors that can contribute to 
improving students' readiness to enter the workforce is crucial. 
Therefore, this study investigated the role of learning agility and 
perceived social support in work readiness among Vocational High 
School students. The participants were 93 grade XI students majoring 
in office management of vocational high school in Surakarta selected 
using simple random sampling technique. The scales used were the 
Work Readiness Scale (α = 0.95), the Learning Agility Scale (α = 
0.92), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (α 
= 0.92). Data were analysed using the Multiple Regression Model. 
The results showed that learning agility can partially predict students' 
work readiness, but perceived social support does not significantly 
predict students' work readiness. Meanwhile, combined, learning 
agility and perceived social support contribute 33.7% to work 
readiness. These findings suggest a need for schools to design 
learning programs that not only focus on technical skills but also train 
students to become resilient, flexible, and adaptive learners. 

 
    

 
Keywords 
Learning Agility 
Perceived Social Support 
Vocational High School Students 
Work Readiness 
 

 

mailto:humanitas@psy.uad.ac.id
http://journal1.uad.ac.id/index.php/Humanitas
https://doi.org/10.26555/humanitas.v22i1.1327
mailto:pratista@staff.uns.ac.id
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downward trend in the TPT for SMK graduates from 9.42% in August 2022 to 9.01% in 

August 2024, and the latest data as of February 2025 is recorded at 8%, SMK graduates still 

account for the highest unemployment rate. In fact, the SMK education system is supposed 

to prepare students through the provision of skills and experience related to the field of work 

that is expected to be entered directly after graduation (Istiqamah & Jalal, 2020; Tentama et 

al., 2024).  

Having a job should provide social status, allow individuals to socialize, and create a 

sense of purpose and meaning in life (Jabbar & Fatima, 2024). These components will play 

an important role in psychological growth, as well as the improvement of an individual's 

psychological well-being (Jabbar & Fatima, 2024). Therefore, the high unemployment rate 

needs to be an important concern because it endangers the mental health of individuals, 

which includes depression, anxiety, mood disorders, suicidal behavior, and various other 

psychological disorders (Jabbar & Fatima, 2024; Virgolino et al., 2022). In addition, the 

impact of unemployment is not only felt by the individual concerned, but also affects the 

economic stability and welfare of society as a whole (Mitra & Attiq, 2024). Various factors 

can cause the high unemployment rate among SMK graduates, one of which is the lack of 

work readiness in students (Ridwan & Dwiyanti, 2024; Sudarsono, 2022). 

Employability is a key issue affecting graduate unemployment in developing or 

developed countries, as employability leads to graduates' abilities and skills that are 

continuously trained before entering the industrial world (Boat et al., 2021; Indrawati et al., 

2023; Prikshat et al., 2020). Work readiness impacts the growth of students' career identity 

(Doederlein, 2024), increases their confidence in decision making (Makki et al., 2023), and 

serves as a predictor of performance in the workplace  (Aryani & Widodo, 2020; Gyanwali 

et al., 2023; Jiang et al., 2024; Rodzalan & Jasman, 2022).  

Work readiness is defined as the extent to which individuals are perceived to have 

attitudes or attributes that make them ready for success in the work environment (Caballero 

& Walker, 2010). Students are considered to have work readiness if they have abilities that 

include attitudes, knowledge, and skills in their fields (Fitriany et al., 2023). Work readiness 

is needed because it is used to predict individual potential regarding future performance and 

careers (Caballero & Walker, 2010). In addition, work readiness is also important for 

individuals to enter the work environment. This is because industries or organizations need 

individuals who are competent and have the ability to follow the culture and rhythm of 

organizational work (Qomariyah et al., 2022).  

Work readiness can be influenced by internal and external factors (Peersia et al., 2024). 

Several variables can affect students' work readiness, including quality knowledge, 

interpersonal communication skills, and the ability to process one's personality and make the 

right decisions (Indrawati et al., 2023). In addition, research has also found that work practice 

or internship experience (Azky & Mulyana, 2024; Ihsan, 2018; Istiqamah & Jalal, 2020), 

information individuals have about the field of work (Ihsan, 2018), learning agility 

(Qomariyah et al., 2022), self-potential (Ihsan, 2018; Istiqamah & Jalal, 2020), talents and 

interests (Ihsan, 2018), and perceived social support (Ma et al., 2024) are able to influence 

individual work readiness.  

Work readiness is a key outcome of successful career development. Social Cognitive 

Career Theory (SCCT) is the dominant theoretical framework for guiding career 

interventions and helping students navigate the career exploration stage. In its theory, SCCT 

aims to explain how professional and academic interests are formed, how career choices are 

implemented, and how career performance outcomes are obtained (Zola et al., 2022). In this 

study, the authors use the SCCT theoretical framework to explain what determinants are able 



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Zakira Adila Jali et.al (Work readiness among vocational high school students: Learning agility and..)  

to influence the work readiness of vocational students. In the SCCT concept, internal factors 

and external factors can influence how students have work readiness.  

How students have the readiness to respond to, and apply the understanding and 

knowledge they have (Indirasari & Mulyana, 2024) can be shaped by their willingness and 

ability to learn from experience and then apply that learning to perform successfully in new 

situations and conditions (Lombardo & Eichinger, 2000). This willingness is often referred 

to as learning agility. Previous studies conducted by Qomariyah et al. (2022) showed that 

learning agility training is effective in improving work readiness in individuals who have 

graduated from vocational high schools (SMK) and undergraduate. Furthermore, Qomariyah 

et al. (2022) explained that learning agility is an ability that can predict individual potential, 

such as how they can adjust quickly, communicate, and make difficult decisions. People who 

have learning agility not only have competencies related to thinking skills, but also more 

broadly related to the ability to think, adapt, and act in unstable situations that are useful in 

work readiness. The existence of learning agility will also make individuals have a high 

sense of curiosity and have a good tolerance for ambiguity, and good vision and innovation 

(Gravett & Caldwell, 2018).  

In addition to internal factors such as learning agility, external factors such as social 

support are also factors that influence individual work readiness (Azky & Mulyana, 2024; 

Tentama & Riskiyana, 2020). Social support refers to an individual's belief about the 

existence of support from family, friends, and other people who are important in their life 

(Wu et al., 2022). Social support generally includes two components, namely perceived 

social support and received social support. Perceived social support reflects the availability 

and adequacy of social relationships that individuals perceive and refers to perceptions and 

appraisals of support that come from family, friends, and significant others (Wu et al., 2022). 

The focus of this study is on perceived social support because the perceived availability of 

social support is more important than the actual support individuals receive (Setiasih & 

Jayanti, 2018). This is because if support information is not considered or perceived as a 

source of support, then the information will not be used by individuals. Previous research 

has found that perceived social support has a positive effect on career adaptability (Fachri et 

al., 2022; Rençber & Paşaoğlu Baş, 2023), where career adaptability can later have a 

significant effect on job readiness (Lakshmi & Elmartha, 2022). A direct correlation between 

social support to students' work readiness was also identified (Tentama & Riskiyana, 2020). 

In addition, social support in this case functions as a social network that can provide 

information and services related to individual career development needs and facilitate 

individuals during the job search process, as well as psychological resources needed in 

overcoming stress and perceptions of the possibility of individuals not getting a job (Tentama 

& Riskiyana, 2020). Furthermore, earlier studies by Ma et al. (2024) also found a positive 

and significant correlation between perceived social support and work readiness.  

This study aims to examine the role of learning agility and perceived social support on 

work readiness in vocational students. Previous research has focused more on learning 

agility interventions in improving students' work readiness (Qomariyah et al., 2022), but not 

specifically on vocational high school students, as in this study. In addition, previous 

research also focused more on social support and self-regulation (Tentama & Riskiyana, 

2020) not on learning agility as one of the abilities that students must have to adapt to 

changes that occur, especially in the context of work that is currently needed. Investigating 

learning agility and perceived social support simultaneously will provide a more 

comprehensive picture of the factors that influence vocational students' work readiness. The 

hypotheses proposed in this study are (1) there is a role of learning agility on vocational high 

school students' work readiness, (2) there is a role of perceived social support on vocational 



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high school students' work readiness, and (3) there is a role of learning agility and perceived 

social support on vocational high school students' work readiness. 

Method 

Research Design 

The research design of this study is a quantitative method with a correlational design.  

Participants 

The population of this study was class XI students majoring in office management at one of 
the vocational high schools in Surakarta, totaling 105 students. The research sample was 
selected using a simple random sampling technique, which ensures that each member of the 
population has the same opportunity to be selected. Data were collected from a sample of 93 
students. All participants were given a consent form to express their willingness to 
participate in this study. The majority of participants in this study were female, with ages 
varying between 15 and 17 years. The distribution of participants is shown in Table 1. 
 

Table 1  

The Distribution of Study Participants 

Category Frequency Percentage 

Gender   

Male 5 5.38% 

Female 88 94.62% 

Age   
15 years old 2 2.15% 

16 years old 62 66.67% 

17 years old 29 31.18% 

Note. N=93.  

Instruments 

Work readiness was measured using the Work Readiness Scale developed by Nasution 
(2021), which originally consisted of 35 items; however, after the tryout process conducted 
to ensure reliability and validity, 5 items turned out to be invalid. The instrument is finally 
30 items and is based on Brady (2010) work readiness theory consisting of 6 aspects, which 
include responsibility (e.g., “I complete the task according to the time specified”), flexibility 
(e.g., “I can adjust to schedule changes that occur at any time”), skills (e.g., “I have skills 
that will be needed in the world of workforce”), communication (e.g., “I do not hesitate to 
ask others for help when experiencing difficulties”), self-view (e.g., “I can be relied upon 
to do a task well”), and health & safety (e.g., “I feel that I am in good enough health to 
work”). The level of students’ work readiness is considered high when the total score 
obtained is high, and vice versa. The Work Readiness Scale for the current study has a 
Cronbach’s Alpha value of 0.95 and an item discrimination index ranging from 0.37 to 0.81. 

Learning agility was assessed using the Learning Agility Scale, originally developed 

by Gravett and Caldwell (2018) and translated into Indonesian by Wardhani et al. (2022). 

The instrument comprises 18 items based on 4 dimensions, including people agility (e.g., “I 

enjoy working with others to solve problems”), results agility (e.g., “I can find ways to get 

the job done even when not given clear directions”), mental agility (e.g., “I am optimistic 

that I can learn new information”), and change agility (e.g., “I try to seek feedback on my 

skills and abilities”). The total score reflects the level of students’ learning agility. The 



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Learning Agility Scale for the current study has a Cronbach’s Alpha value of 0.92 and an 

item discrimination index ranging from 0.36 to 0.73. 

Perceived social support was measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived 

Social Support (MSPSS), originally developed by Zimet et al. (1988), then translated into 

Indonesian by Sulistiani et al. (2022). This instrument consists of 12 items, assessing 

students’ perceived social support from 3 dimensions, including family (e.g., “I got the 

emotional help and support I needed from my family”), friends (e.g., “I can talk about my 

problems with my friends”), and significant other (e.g., “I have a special person who is a 

real source of comfort for me”). The MSPSS scale can assess these three sources of social 

support as a unidimensional construct with an excellent category value (Sulistiani et al., 

2022). The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support used in the current study 

has a Cronbach’s Alpha value of 0.92 and an item discrimination index ranging from 0.37 

to 0.85. 

Data Analysis 

The collected data were analysed using multiple regression analysis techniques with the 
SPSS software. Before conducting hypothesis testing, the assumptions for normality and 
linearity were tested. The data were found to be normally distributed (p>0.05), and the results 
indicated linearity between learning agility and work readiness, as well as between perceived 
social support and work readiness (p < 0.05). The multicollinearity test was assessed through 
VIF (Variance Inflation Factor) and tolerance value, and no multicollinearity was found (VIF 
= 1.21; tolerance = 0.83). The heteroscedasticity test using the Glejser test also indicates the 
absence of heteroscedasticity in the regression model (p > 0.05). Lastly, an autocorrelation 
test is conducted through the Durbin-Watson method, showing the absence of 
autocorrelation in the data. 

Results 

The results of hypothesis testing revealed that learning agility was significantly predicted      
vocational high school students' work readiness (t = 5.49; p < 0.05), so the first hypothesis 
is accepted. However, social support perceived by vocational high school students did not 
predict work readiness (t = 1.31; p > 0.05), so the second hypothesis is rejected. See Table 
2. When analysed together, learning agility and perceived social support can predict work 
readiness among vocational high school students (F = 22.88; p < 0.05), so the third 
hypothesis is accepted. See Table 2. 

Table 2  

Multiple Regression Analysis Results 

Model R R2 Adjusted R2 F Sig. 

Regression 0.58 0.34 0.32 22.88 0.00 

Note. The dependent variable is work readiness 

The results showed the role of learning agility and perceived social support in 
predicting work readiness among vocational high school students. Learning agility and 
perceived social support simultaneously explained 33.7% of the variance in work readiness 
(R2 = 0.34), while the remaining 66.3% could be attributed to other factors not included in 
this study. See Table 3. 

 



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Table 3  
Partial Test Results 

 
 B Std. Error Beta t Sig. 

(Constant) 65.35 5.20  12.57 0.00 

Learning Agility 0.35 0.06 0.52 5.49 0.00 

Perceived Social Support 0.18 0.14 0.12 1.31 0.19 

Discussion 

The research findings show that the first hypothesis is accepted. Learning agility positively 
predicts vocational students' work readiness. This result means that if there is an increase in 
student learning agility, then student work readiness also increases. This result is aligned 
with the research findings by Qomariyah et al. (2022) that work readiness tends to increase 
in participants who take part in learning agility training. The increase in work readiness 
occurs because learning agility focuses on increasing curiosity, flexibility, and problem-
solving skills that produce new experiences and become a source of learning. The existence 
of learning agility will make it easier for individuals to be more adaptive to changes that 
occur, especially those experienced by students during the transition from school to the 
world of work. Individuals with learning agility are also described as having openness, 
willingness to learn, and flexibility (Gravett & Caldwell, 2018).  

These characteristics are part of the indicators that show work readiness, especially in 
the aspects of skills and flexibility. However, the analysis also showed that social support 
perceived by vocational students was not able to significantly predict vocational students' 
work readiness. Thus, this result contradicts previous research findings from Sari (2017) as 
well as Indrayana and Kumaidi (2021) as both found that social support and work readiness 
in vocational high school students are positively and significantly correlated. The absence 
of a significant correlation between perceived social support and work readiness also 
indicates that the findings of this study are not in line with the results previously obtained by 
Ma et al. (2024). 

This insignificant result can be caused by several things. First, social support that is 
present and received by students can certainly be a supporting resource in building 
confidence to face future career demands. However, perceived social support emphasizes 
the subjective perceptions of individuals who receive social support, and these perceptions 
can be influenced by individual differences (Meuleman et al., 2024). Not all individuals 
perceive that social support is available, and even when it is, there are individual differences 
in the extent to which they choose to utilize it. This is reflected in the decisions of some 
individuals who prefer independence in dealing with problems or making decisions, while 
others prefer to seek support from others (Wilson et al., 2021).  

In addition, the social support measurement tool used in this study is still general and 
has not specifically measured social support in the context of a career. This may have 
influenced the results of the analysis, as generalized social support may not necessarily be 
relevant or have a direct impact on aspects of work readiness. A person may feel supported 
in their social or family life, but this may not necessarily relate to the support needed in 
planning, preparing, or facing the world of work. Thus, the mismatch between the social 
support measured and the context of work readiness analyzed could be one of the causes of 
not finding a significant relationship between the two. 

Social support obtained in certain situations can also be interpreted as a burden and 
add to individual worries, rather than playing a role in increasing work readiness (Mitra & 
Attiq, 2024). Ultimately, the effectiveness of social support provided to help improve work 
readiness will be determined by students' subjective perceptions of the support available. In 
addition, perceived social support does not directly have a significant relationship with work 



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readiness, but may be able to relate to work readiness when mediated by other factors. 
Previous research conducted by Mitra and Attiq (2024) found that although there was no 
significant relationship between social support and work readiness, when the relationship 
between the two variables was mediated by self-efficacy, there was a positive relationship. 
Through the availability of emotional and practical resources, social support helps 
individuals to build self-confidence, which in turn facilitates goal achievement, including 
improving work readiness (Mitra & Attiq, 2024). 

Furthermore, it was found that learning agility and perceived social support 
significantly predicted job readiness among vocational high school students. Although 
perceived social support was not able to make a significant contribution separately, its 
presence in the model still helped explain some of the variation in vocational school students' 
work readiness, especially when joined with learning agility. The level of work readiness 
demonstrated by vocational high school students can be significantly predicted based on the 
level of learning agility and perceived social support. Learning agility and perceived social 
support explained 33.7% of work readiness. This result contributes to work readiness 
research in the context of vocational high school students in Indonesia, as no previous 
research has examined these three variables simultaneously. The significant results indicate 
that students who have the willingness and ability to learn from experience and apply it to 
new situations and are supported by the perceived availability of relevant social support, 
both from friends, family, and significant others, will be more prepared to face the world of 
work. Learning agility allows individuals to learn quickly and be flexible in changing 
thoughts and behaviors as needed (Lee & Song, 2022), which can contribute to individual 
readiness in facing a dynamic work environment. At the same time, students who perceive 
specific social support related to relevant knowledge and skills will find it easier to do career 
planning and make preparations to enter the world of work (Tentama & Riskiyana, 2020). 

The results of this study provide a number of practical implications that can be used 
by schools, counseling guidance teachers, and vocational education policy makers. First, 
learning agility was found to contribute significantly to work readiness, so schools need to 
start designing learning development programs that not only focus on technical skills but 
also train students to become resilient, flexible, and adaptive learners. For example, using a 
curriculum that can integrate experiential learning or case study approaches. Guidance 
teachers or homeroom teachers can also provide soft skills training that emphasizes aspects 
such as the ability to learn from failure, openness to feedback, and speed of adapting to new 
demands.  

Secondly, although social support did not show a significant relationship in this study, 
social support likely needs to be more specifically provided in the context of students' 
careers. Therefore, schools and families can be empowered to provide more contextual and 
career-oriented support, such as providing information related to the world of work or 
emotional support in facing the transition from school to the world of work. Third, the 
contribution of the two variables, which only amounted to 33.7% makes schools also need 
to consider other factors in improving students' work readiness. For example, providing an 
understanding of the job market, opportunities for internships, or direct mentoring from field 
practitioners in order to build a more holistic work readiness. 

This study has several limitations that need to be considered in interpreting the results 
and their implications. First, the scope of the study, which was limited to only grade XI 
students majoring in office management at one of the vocational high schools in Surakarta, 
limits the generalizability of the results. The findings may not reflect the condition of 
students from other majors or regions that have different characteristics, curricula, and 
learning environments. Therefore, future research is expected to involve more diverse 
samples from various majors, grade levels, and vocational schools in various regions so that 
the results are more representative. 



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Second, this study only tested two predictors of work readiness, namely learning 
agility and perceived social support. Together, the two variables only explain 33.7% of the 
variance in work readiness. This shows that there is still 66.3% other variance influenced by 
other factors that have not been revealed, such as practical or internship experience, 
information about the work field, and interpersonal communication skills (Azky & Mulyana, 
2024; Ihsan, 2018; Indrawati et al., 2023; Istiqamah & Jalal, 2020). Future research needs to 
consider more psychosocial and contextual factors that have the potential to contribute 
significantly to work readiness. 

Third, the definition and scope of individuals included in the category of significant 
others in the perceived social support scale are not explicitly described. The meaning of who 
is considered as a source of support (for example, parents, teachers, peers, or other figures) 
can vary between individuals and affect their perceptions of the availability of support 
(Thoits, 2011). This difference in interpretation could potentially affect the results of the 
study, so future research is expected to explicitly define the category of significant others in 
the measuring instrument or provide space for respondents to self-identify the source of 
support that is most meaningful to them. 

Finally, there is an imbalance in the composition of respondents based on gender, 
where there are more women than men. This imbalance can affect the results of the analysis 
because there are gender differences in the way individuals build work readiness and receive 
and utilize social support (Astuti et al., 2025; Ismail et al., 2020). Future research should 
consider a more balanced gender distribution or test gender differences exploratively to see 
if there are specific patterns based on gender. 

Conclusion 

The findings of this study indicate that learning agility and perceived social support 

simultaneously influence work readiness among vocational high school students. However, 

when perceived social support was analyzed separately, the results were not significant in 

influencing students' work readiness. Meanwhile, learning agility was able to significantly 

predict students' work readiness separately. 

Acknowledgment 

The authors would like to thank all the participants who participated in this study. 

Declarations  

Author contribution. All authors have contributed equally to this paper. All authors have 
read and approved the final manuscript.  
Funding statement. No funding support was received. 
Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. 
Additional information. No additional information is available for this paper. 
 

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