Enhancing the Quality of Aviation Graduates Through Integrated Teaching Competence and Industrial Training

Abstract

In the context of the aviation vocational education system in Indonesia, the alignment between instructional quality and industry readiness remains a persistent concern. This study investigates the integrated effects of lecturer competency and industrial training on graduate quality, with the learning process examined as a mediating construct. Utilizing a quantitative ex-post facto design, data were collected from 274 students across four state aviation polytechnics. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to explore both direct and indirect causal pathways. Results revealed that both lecturer competency and industrial training significantly impact the learning process, which in turn strongly influences graduate quality. While direct effects of both independent variables on graduate quality were confirmed, indirect effects through the learning process showed mixed results. This study introduces a novel integrated model combining lecturer competency and industrial training with a mediating learning process, which has been underexplored in aviation-focused vocational education research. The findings emphasize the strategic need to synchronize pedagogical and experiential learning to produce industry-ready graduates.