Self-efficacy as a Predictor of Work Engagement among Teachers in Private Vocational High Schools

Active teacher engagement is a key determinant of both educational effectiveness and student learning outcomes, and this role has become especially prominent in vocational schools because of their unique instructional contexts. The objective of this research was to assess the level to which self-efficacy predicts work engagement among private vocational high school teachers in Surabaya. Specifically, it aims to quantify the relative contributions of the three self-efficacy dimensions (level, strength, and generality) to overall work engagement and to identify which dimension most strongly predicts work engagement in a vocational education context. The novelty of this research lies in applying a multidimensional self-efficacy framework using PLS-SEM to a large sample of Indonesian private vocational teachers, a population underrepresented in previous empirical studies. The findings are significant because they provide both theoretical insights for the academic community and practical implications for strengthening teachers’ work engagement in vocational schools. This study utilized a quantitative research design, collecting data from 315 private vocational high school teachers. The dataset was then analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. The results show that (Strength: β = 0.764; Level: β = 0.763; Generality: β = 0.834; p <0.05) significantly impacts work engagement levels, with generality emerging as the strongest predictor, explaining 33.6% of engagement variance. These findings highlight the importance of fostering generalized confidence beliefs to enhance teacher engagement in vocational education contexts. By applying a multidimensional self-efficacy framework via PLS SEM among Indonesian teachers, this study offers both theoretical contributions and practical guidance for school leaders aiming to design targeted professional development interventions. Keywords: self-efficacy, work engagement, teachers, vocational high schools, PLS-SEM.