Social Capital and Learning Environment on Career Readiness: The Mediating Role of Psychological Capital
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Abstract
Career readiness has become an important concern for university graduates in an increasingly competitive labor market. Beyond academic competence, students' readiness for employment is influenced by social resources, the learning environment, and psychological capacities. This study examines the effects of social capital and the learning environment on the career readiness of final-year students in Cirebon, with psychological capital as a mediating variable. A quantitative approach was employed using data collected from 200 final-year students at several universities in Cirebon, which were analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that social capital and the learning environment positively and significantly influence career readiness, through direct effects and mediated effects via psychological capital. Psychological capital also partially mediates the relationships between social capital, the learning environment, and career readiness. Career readiness is influenced by the combined effects of shaped by the interaction of external resources and internal psychological strengths. This study enriches the career development literature by integrating these variables into a single framework and offers practical guidance for higher education institutions in strengthening students' career readiness.
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