Education Meets Industry: Why This Study Matters
Across the globe, universities face growing pressure to ensure their graduates are not only academically qualified but also job-ready. Employers increasingly demand a mix of technical expertise and soft skills, particularly in fast-evolving sectors like information technology.
In Indonesia, tracer studies have become a key tool for measuring graduate outcomes. However, their potential is often underutilized. This research from Universitas Negeri Surabaya stands out by connecting graduate employment data with competency alignment and global education goals under SDG 4.
The findings provide timely insights into how higher education institutions can remain relevant in a competitive and digital-driven job market.
Simple Method, Clear Insights
The research uses a descriptive quantitative approach based on tracer study data from 91 Information Systems graduates in 2024. Instead of complex statistical modeling, the study focuses on real-world patterns such as employment status, job relevance, salary levels, and competency gaps.
This approach allows the researchers to present a clear picture of how graduates transition from university to the workforce and how well their skills match industry expectations.
High Employment Rates Among Graduates
The study reports strong employment outcomes:
- 71% of graduates are employed, either full-time or part-time
- 7% are self-employed, indicating entrepreneurial potential
- 20% are actively seeking jobs
- Only 2% are not working due to personal reasons
Most graduates work in roles closely related to their field of study:
- 38% as System Developers
- 20% as IT Consultants
- 6% as Information Systems Analysts
- Others in IT-related or digital roles
These results confirm that the Information Systems program at Universitas Negeri Surabaya is largely aligned with industry demands.
In terms of income, graduates earn an average starting salary of approximately IDR 4.3 million per month, exceeding the regional minimum wage. This reflects both employability and economic competitiveness.
Key Strengths: Ethics, Teamwork, and IT Skills
The study highlights three major strengths among graduates:
- Strong ethical values
- Effective teamwork skills
- Solid IT competencies
Data presented in the competency tables show that ethics received the highest score in both industry demand and graduate mastery.
This suggests that graduates from Universitas Negeri Surabaya are not only technically capable but also demonstrate professional integrity and collaboration—qualities highly valued by employers.
Critical Gaps: Communication and English Proficiency
Despite strong technical and ethical foundations, the study identifies significant gaps in:
- Communication skills
- English language proficiency
- Self-development abilities
The largest gap appears in communication, which is highly demanded in the workplace but not sufficiently mastered by graduates.
English proficiency also remains a challenge, limiting graduates’ competitiveness in global or multinational environments. These findings reflect a broader issue in higher education, where soft skills are often underdeveloped compared to technical knowledge.
Strong Alignment with SDG 4: Quality Education
The research connects its findings to four key indicators of SDG 4:
- SDG 4.1: High relevance between field of study and employment
- SDG 4.2: Application of both technical and non-technical skills
- SDG 4.3: 83% of graduates report their degree matches job requirements
- SDG 4.4: Development of digital and entrepreneurial skills
The presence of self-employed graduates (7%) further highlights the role of higher education in fostering innovation and adaptability.
According to Anggraeni Widya Purwita from Universitas Negeri Surabaya, the findings demonstrate that higher education must continuously adapt to industry needs while supporting sustainable development through quality learning outcomes.
Real-World Impact and Recommendations
The study offers several practical implications for universities, policymakers, and industry stakeholders:
- Enhance practice-based learning, such as internships and industry projects
- Integrate English training more effectively into academic programs
- Strengthen university–industry collaboration
- Use tracer study data as a foundation for curriculum development
These steps are essential to bridge the gap between academic training and workplace expectations.
The research also reinforces the idea that graduate success is not defined solely by employment rates, but by the quality and relevance of their skills in a rapidly changing global economy.
Author Profiles
Anggraeni Widya Purwita is a lecturer in the Information Systems Department at Universitas Negeri Surabaya, specializing in higher education quality and curriculum development.
Berlian Maulidya Izzati, Monica Cinthya, and I Kadek Dwi Nuryana are researchers and academics in Information Systems, focusing on graduate employability, tracer studies, and digital competencies.
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