Kurniawan Harun Rasyid, Abd Rahman, Hamsu Abd Gani, Riana T. Mangesa
This research investigates the basic concept of developing a UNI-based model to improve the professional competence of vocational high school students with a focus on how students' professionals are revealed and internalized into Personal Professional Theories (PPT). The aim was to develop professional knowledge in a broader vocational domain using supporting variables adopted from Personal Professional Theories. The qualities of the PPTs were constructed using Universal concepts as the initial part of the Universal, Exploration and Investigation (UNI) based student personal professional research. This paper makes a significant contribution to vocational education which has been focused on school-based learning competencies in the era of massive AI technology. Learning refers to formal knowledge competencies, technical skills, including knowledge and skills based on basic competencies of the world of work, but personal professional knowledge that supports work skills is sidelined. The Universal Concept offers a more in-depth indicator of professional competence. Students' personal professional knowledge is revealed based on openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, friendliness, and neocriticism. This research adds to the limited studies on professional competence of Vocational High School graduates that need to be studied by expanding the scope of research, and a larger sample size than previous studies. For this study, the research team conducted a survey involving 77 Vocational High School students. This study used a quantitative approach with data collected through Google Forms and analyzed using SPSS Version 26.0. Using Cronbach's alpha, we calculated descriptive statistics to understand the students' perspectives regarding their personal professionals which were universally revealed to ensure the reliability of their opinions. The research findings showed a positive perception of the importance of open-mindedness in developing and understanding new ideas supported by high levels of creativity and theoretical discussions. On the other hand, students also desire to excel in everything including completing every task successfully and smoothly. Students tend to feel their energy increases when they are in a crowd or interact with many people, and are more comfortable expressing themselves openly, and have concern for others. The results of students' personal professional disclosure in this study conclude that students have the ability to adapt to challenges and a changing work environment in the future, but rarely seek deeper meaning to an understood thing or idea, meaning that the internalization of professional knowledge understanding into competence still has to be socialized through procedural knowledge, including taking the conversation or discussion to a higher level. © 2026 Author(s).
Department of Electro Engineering, Universitas Fajar, Makassar, Indonesia; Informatics Engineering, Universitas Teknologi Akba, Makassar, Indonesia; Department of Informatics and Computer Engineering, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Makassar, Indonesia
