Abstract
One of the anticipated benefits for senior high school graduates is employment upon completion of their studies. Transitioning from school to work is challenging for senior high school graduates due to difficulties entering the labor market with only their credentials. Despite this, there is limited research on their specific employment challenges. This study explored the challenges and identified the strategic interventions employed by graduates to overcome them. Utilizing a qualitative research design, data were collected through in-depth interviews. The results revealed three themes for existing challenges, and they are: lack of experience to meet job qualifications, lack of backer to speed up qualifications, and experienced discrimination from companies applied. Regarding the strategic interventions employed by graduates, three themes emerged which are: increasing qualifications and skills, building connections, and seeking companies that accept senior high school graduates. Additionally, graduates proposed recommendations to improve the senior high school curriculum and instruction to better align with labor market demands. These include providing laboratories and facilities, improving work immersion, and hiring skilled SHS teachers. This study can serve as a model for other researchers and educational institutions aiming to improve senior high school curricula to better prepare graduates for the workforce.
