Tracer Study System Based on Social Networks with Discrepancy to Evaluate the Absorption of Vocational High School Graduates

This research aimed to evaluate the absorption of vocational high school graduates from the creative economy sector (Animation, Multimedia, Visual Communication Design, and Software Engineering) in Tulungagung. This study started from the description, the support programs for employment, the employment rate, the gap between the graduate labor absorption and the reality, and solutions to the gap above. This study was an evaluation using the discrepancy model. The data collection method in this research was an interview using open and closed questionnaires. The data analysis technique used descriptive analysis with quantitative and qualitative approaches. The results showed that the graduates’ absorption rate was relatively higher than the unemployment rate. Of the 112 respondents, 97 were employed, 3 went to college, and 12 were unemployed. The data from the second job was improved to 107 employed respondents and 5 unemployed. The data based on the school was 66.9% from SMKN 1 Boyolangu, 15.2% from SMK Nahdlatul Ulama, and 15.2% from SMK Veteran. Out of 112 respondents, 1.8% was graduated in 2017, 21.8% was graduated in 2018, 33.9% was graduated in 2019, and 42.9% was graduated in 2020. Based on skill competency, the absorption was 16.1% from Animation major, 21.4% was from Software Engineering major, 29.5% was from Visual Communication Design major, and 33% was from Multimedia major. Based on the questionnaire and interviews, the labor absorption reached 86%, while 10% remained unemployed, and 4% continued to college. However, the absorption had yet to follow their competencies, be it in the industry, business, and working world.