Preparing industry-ready graduates: Interplay of lecturer behavior, self-motivation, and soft skill development in...

This study investigates the influence of lecturer behavior on student self-motivation, soft skill development, and the integration of these factors into learning quality and hard skill competency within the context of vocational education. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Social Learning Theory (SLT), the research emphasizes the importance of motivation-driven instruction in preparing students for Industry 4.0. Data were collected from 229 final-year students at four Indonesian aviation polytechnic institutions. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the findings reveal that lecturer behavior significantly enhances student self-motivation (β = 0.911, p = 0.000) and soft skill competency (β = 0.124, p = 0.044). Student self-motivation also positively affects the quality of learning (β = 0.925, p = 0.000), which in turn contributes to hard skill competency (β = 0.449, p = 0.000). However, soft skill competency does not significantly influence learning quality (β = 0.004, p = 0.464), suggesting its greater impact lies in workplace adaptability rather than academic performance. These findings accentuate the need for vocational curricula that integrate motivational teaching practices with industry-relevant skill development to optimize student readiness for professional challenges.