Integrating Human Capital and Learning Environments in Aviation Vocational Education: A Structural Model of Learning Effectiveness

Vocational education plays a crucial role in preparing skilled workers and promoting social mobility. However, limited research has examined how human expertise and institutional resources interact to influence learning effectiveness in vocational education. Addressing this gap, this study investigates the combined influence of lecturer professional competence and laboratory quality on learning effectiveness in aviation vocational education in Indonesia. Drawing on Human Capital Theory and Experiential Learning Theory, the study proposes an Integrated Human–Infrastructure Learning Effectiveness Framework, which conceptualizes learning quality as a mediating mechanism linking lecturer competence and laboratory infrastructure to students’ hard-skill competency. A quantitative correlational design was employed, and data were collected from 229 students enrolled in Aircraft Maintenance Training Organizations (AMTOs) under the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that lecturer competence and laboratory quality significantly contribute to learning quality, while learning quality supports the development of students’ technical competencies. The results highlight the importance of aligning professional expertise and institutional infrastructure to support experiential learning processes in vocational education. This study contributes to the sociology of education by showing how institutional capacity and professional capital shape skill formation in vocational education.