Data-Based Vocational Education Planning: A Strategic Approach Towards Future Readiness

Vocational education in the digital era faces increasingly complex challenges along with the increasing demands of the industrial world for digital technology-based skills and data analysis. Currently, many vocational education institutions still use conventional curriculum planning approaches that are not data-based, resulting in a gap between graduate skills and industry needs (Ahmad & Surya, 2022). The research method used is a mixed method, which combines a quantitative approach through surveys of students, teachers, and vocational program managers, and a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews with local industry representatives. The results of the study show that most students and teachers are aware of the importance of digital technology-based skills, but their implementation is still limited due to the lack of industry needs data used in curriculum planning. Based on these findings, this study proposes a data-based vocational education planning strategy that involves collecting periodic industry needs data, compiling a data-based curriculum, and evaluating education programs through graduate outcome data. This strategy is expected to be the basis for developing a more adaptive and responsive vocational education planning model to future industry needs. The results of the study indicate that most students and teachers are aware of the importance of digital technology-based skills, but their implementation is still limited due to the lack of industry needs data used in curriculum planning. Based on these findings, this study proposes a data-based vocational education planning strategy that involves collecting periodic industry needs data, compiling a data-based curriculum, and evaluating education programs through graduate outcome data