The “Strawberry Generation” in the Teaching Factory: Multi-Perspective Qualitative Study of Soft Skills Assessment Dilemmas in Indonesian Vocational High Schools
Keywords:
digital assessment tools; soft skills assessment; strawberry generation; teaching factory; vocational high schoolsAbstract
Despite the fact that soft skills are considered essential for today’s workforce, vocational schools often face difficulties when it comes to evaluating them as accurately as possible in real-world training environments. Additionally, empirical research on assessing such skills in authentic vocational contexts remains scarce. In order to gain in-depth understanding of this particular challenge, this exploratory case study investigates stakeholders’ perceptions of soft skills assessment within the Teaching Factory (TeFa) at four vocational high schools in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 key stakeholders, including policymakers, school administrators, vocational teachers, and industry partners. Thematic analysis revealed four themes. Firstly, TeFa operates as a high-stakes industrial simulation demanding strict workplace compliance. Secondly, there lies a striking disconnection between the rigorous soft skills required by industry and the frail mental resilience of current students, commonly referred to as “the Strawberry Generation”. Thirdly, teachers suffer severe burnout and pedagogical dilemmas, juggling complex administrative workloads alongside shifting regulations. Lastly, these pressures expose a critical vacuum in authentic, real-time assessment. Findings highlight that current observational practices are highly subjective, poorly documented, and unsuccessful in measuring students’ holistic development according to stakeholder perceptions. The current study concludes that traditional paper-based and memory-reliant assessment are no longer viable for dynamic TeFa environments, necessitating practical, technology-driven observation instruments to alleviate teacher burnout. Ultimately, these findings provide Indonesian policymakers to establish standardized, digitally supported assessment frameworks tailored for modern vocational education.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.9.9
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Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Andhika, Samsul Hadi, Amat Jaedun, Dyah Metianing, Taufik Rizki Sista, Nur Rahmi Akbarini, Meida Wulan Sari, Gunadi Gunadi, Diana Prasastiawati
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