Competency Gap Analysis of Mechanical Engineering Education Graduates to the Job Needs of the Digital Era: Evidence from a Survey Study

Abstract

The rapid transformation of the labor market driven by Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0 has increased the demand for graduates who possess not only technical expertise but also employability skills that align with workplace expectations. Consequently, higher education institutions are required to continuously evaluate the relevance of graduate competencies to support curriculum improvement. This study aims to analyze the competency gap between graduates of the Bachelor's Program in Mechanical Engineering Education at Universitas Negeri Surabaya and the competencies required in the workplace using tracer study data. A quantitative descriptive approach was employed using secondary data from the 2025 institutional tracer study involving 53 graduates. Seven competency dimensions were evaluated: ethics, field-specific expertise, English proficiency, information technology skills, communication, teamwork, and self-development. Descriptive statistics, Gap Analysis, Importance Performance Analysis (IPA), and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test were applied to assess competency alignment and identify priority areas for curriculum enhancement. The results reveal relatively small competency gaps, ranging from −0.09 to −0.28, indicating that graduates' competencies are generally aligned with labor market requirements. IPA results show that no competency falls within the high-priority improvement quadrant, while ethics, communication, teamwork, and self-development are positioned in the "Keep Up the Good Work" quadrant. However, the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test identifies significant differences in field-specific expertise (p = 0.005), communication (p = 0.002), teamwork (p = 0.012), and self-development (p = 0.022), suggesting that these competencies require further strengthening. This study demonstrates that integrating Gap Analysis, Importance Performance Analysis, and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating graduate competency alignment beyond conventional tracer study indicators. The findings offer practical implications for evidence-based curriculum development, continuous quality improvement, and strengthening the alignment between higher education outcomes and industry needs.