SOFT SKILLS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDUSTRY 4.0 ERA USING BUCKLEY’S FUZZY-AHP

Abstract

Industry 4.0 is characterized by the digitalization of systems and processes in service and manufacturing industries and has changed the way people live. Education plays a significant role in preparing the future workforce with the necessary technological skills and competencies required by industries and institutions. Studies have shown that soft skills improve a student’s ability to learn, increase their potential for success, and typically increase future economic benefits. This study aims to determine the dominant soft skills that University students in Manado should possess. The perceptions of twenty-four lecturers about four criteria and twelve sub-criteria were compared using both the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (F-AHP) methods. From this, the researchers found teamwork to be the dominant skill (26%). Global analysis uncovered that integrity was the dominant factor overall (10.5% with AHP or 10.3% with F-AHP). The findings were provided to University leaders with recommendations to incorporate the elements of teamwork and integrity into their teaching materials, teaching methods, and curriculum. Students need to understand that these elements are essential to their future. This research proved that both the AHP and Fuzzy-AHP methods were effective tools in analyzing and determining the dominant factors of soft skills in the Industry 4.0 era. This research contributes to determining the priority factors related to soft skills needed by higher education graduates in the Industry 4.0 era using a combination of AHP and Fuzzy-AHP. The researchers recommended that other scholars conduct future studies using entrepreneurs or business practitioners as respondents.