The Effect of Self-Actualization, Internship Experience, and Soft-Skill on the Work Readiness of Students of the Class of 2020 in Bantul Regency

This research is motivated by the low level of student work readiness, particularly among the class of 2020 who experienced online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation has limited field experience and soft skills development, as well as limited opportunities for students to explore one’s potential and collaborate in the campus environment, this impacts their readiness to enter the workforce. Students from the class of 2020 are members of Generation Z, born and raised in the digital technology era. Facing increasingly high competency demands, they are required to be adaptive, professional, and ready to compete globally. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the influence of self-actualization, internship experience, and soft skills on the work readiness of students from the class of 2020. Data was collected from 96 respondents who were 2020 class of students. Sampling using accidental sampling technique. The results of the study showed that self-actualization had a positive and significant effect on student job readiness, while internship experience and soft skills had a positive but insignificant effect on student job readiness. Self-actualization, internship experience, and soft skills simultaneously had a positive and significant effect on work readiness. This research contributes to the future of management studies, particularly in human resources, by emphasizing the importance of self-actualization, internship experience, and soft skills as factors shaping students’ work readiness.