EVALUATION OF THE ROLE OF ISLAMIC BOARDING SCHOOL-BASED VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION IN STUDENT CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN THE PASURUAN REGENCY JOB MARKET

This study examines the role of Islamic boarding school-based vocational high schools in preparing students in the Visual Communication Design (VCD) program for the job market in Pasuruan, East Java, Indonesia. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed using the CIPPO (Context, Input, Process, Product, Outcome) evaluation model to assess curriculum relevance, instructional processes, and graduate outcomes. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, documentation, questionnaires, and focus group discussions involving principals, vice principals, heads of expertise programs, guidance counselors, students, alumni, and industry partners. Interview transcripts were analyzed using NVivo 14 with triangulation of sources for validation. The findings reveal that the VCD curriculum demonstrates moderate alignment with creative industry demands. Vocational School A (private) shows strong strategic collaboration with industry partners, while Vocational School B (private) remains responsive to workforce trends. Variations were found in teacher quality and infrastructure across schools. Both Project-Based Learning (PjBL) and Work-Based Learning (WBL) approaches have been effectively implemented, supported by structured supervision and career counseling. Students actively produce creative works and participate in competitions, although industry linkages remain uneven. In addition, graduate employability is influenced by internship duration, tracer study results, and alumni engagement. The results highlighted the crucial role of school–industry partnerships, the enhancement of teacher competencies through industrial internships, the provision of targeted funding policies for Islamic boarding school–based vocational schools, and the reconceptualization of the link and match theory into a link, match, and integrate framework by incorporating Islamic boarding school values as essential soft skills.