Relevance of Vocational High Schools with Regional Superior Potential and Manpower Needs in West Sulawesi Province

Abstract

The aims of this study were: (i) to find out the suitability of vocational competency skills with the existence of regional superior potential in West Sulawesi, (ii) to find out the suitability between vocational competency skills and the need for manpower in West Sulawesi. This research is qualitative research with a descriptive approach using survey methods to collect data to uncover phenomena about the suitability of the expertise competencies possessed by SMKs representing the potential of the West Sulawesi region, the suitability of SMK expertise competencies with work needs in West Sulawesi and the fulfillment of SMK human resources against the needs labor. The data collection techniques used were observation, interviews, and required documentation. The results of this study indicate that the development of SMKs is not following the regional potential and workforce needs due to the lack of commitment to developing SMKs by the West Sulawesi Provincial Government, the tendency of students to prefer SMAs over SMKs, lack of availability of land to build SMKs, the tendency of students to major in SMKs In particular, the commitment of the West Sulawesi Provincial Government is lacking in the development of SMKs rather than SMAs, and the output of SMKs is that they continue their studies rather than go straight to work.