Improving Graduate Profiles Through Tracer Studies at University
Abstract
Universities are encouraging efforts to improve their overall quality, including their graduates’ profiles. The absorptivity of graduates in industries or users has become one of the indicators of graduates’ profile quality. This tracer study aimed to get data from graduates dealing with compatibility of knowledge and skills acquired with their job. This program was carried out with the awareness of the university for the graduates’ empowerment. Some of the common problems found in conducting this program were collecting data from graduation books (making the data is less accurate), many telephone numbers could not be contacted or were not active, the time required by respondents while answering questionnaires over calls, and the total number of respondents being less than the expected target. This is because the processes used in the tracer study can be tedious for the respondents (alumni), and they lose interest. The method used in tracer study consists of four stages: (1) preparation, (2) implementation, (3) analysis, and (4) evaluation of results. The preparation stage covers updating graduate data, developing questionnaires, and arranging for and training invited surveyors. The implementation phase consists of deployment, monitoring, and the remaining processes, while the analysis stage is the process of analyzing and recapitulating the questionnaire. The final evaluation phase is the overall reporting and assessment stage of the program. All graduates are expected to be able to be tracked through this method.
Keywords: graduates, tracer study, university
References
[1] Schomburg, H. (2003). Handbook for Graduate Tracer studies. Germany: University of Kassel; 2003. 1– 281. Retrieved from: https://scholar.google.com.ph/scholar hl=en&q=graduate+tracer&btnG=&as_sdt= 1, 5&as_sdtp=#0
[2] Aquino, AB., Punongbayan, EJ., and Macalaguim, LP et al. (2015). Teacher Education Graduate Tracer Study from 2010 to 2014 in One State University in Batangas, Philippines. Part II Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, vol. 3, issue 5, pp. 45–50. Retrieved from: https://www.apjmr.com/wp- content/uploads/2016/01/APJMR- 2015- 3.5.2.06.pdf
[3] Efiyanna, R., Hastono, S., & Syafiq, A. (2019). Tracer Study: The Alignment of Work Types With The Origin of Alumni Specialization of FKM UI. SANITAS: Jurnal Teknologi Dan Seni Kesehatan, vol. 10, issue 1, pp. 26-34, https://doi.org/10.36525/sanitas.2019.3
[4] Garcia, CMR., Vergara, J., and Lansang, CJ. (2016). Graduate Tracer Study of The Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation at The Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific. MAAP Researh Journal, vol. 1, issue 0, pp. 1–77. Retrieved from: http://www.maap.edu.ph/research/1/MAAP-RESEARCH-JOURNAL- MAY- 2017- VOLUME1- PAPERS.pdf.
[5] Gines, AC. (2014). Tracer Study of PNU Graduates. American International Journal of Contemporary Research, vol. 4, issue 3, pp. 81–98.
[6] Pontillas, VV. (2018). Tracer Study on Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Graduates Of a Polytechnic College in The Philippines From 2007 to 2010. Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, vol. 6, issue 2, pp. 36–46. Retrieved from: http://www.apjmr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/ 06/APJMR- 2018.6.2.2.05.pdf
[7] Roviati, E., Jalaludin, D., Fitria, E., et al. (2015). Tracer Study: Studi Rekam Jejak Alumni dan Respons Stakeholder Jurusan Tadris IPA - Biologi IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon. Scientiae Educatia: Jurnal Pendidikan Sains vol. 4, issue 1, pp. 57–66. Retrieved from: https://www.syekhnurjati.ac.id/jurnal/index.php/sceducatia/article/view/272{%}0Ahttps://www. syekhnurjati.ac.id/jurnal/index.php/sceducatia/article/download/272/418
[8] Yuhertiana, I. et al. (2020). The Impact of Indonesia New Higher Education Accreditation Criteria Implementation. Journal of Critical Reviews, vol. 7, issue 3, pp. 241–246, doi:10.31838/jcr.07.03.45.
[9] Mayang, S., Yadi, Y. H., and Susihono, W. (2013). Evaluasi Tracer Study untuk Pembelajaran Dengan Pendekatan Ergonomi Makro. Jurnal Teknik Industri, vol. 1, issue 4, pp. 284–288.