THE INFLUENCE OF SOFT SKILLS, INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT ON THE WORK READINESS OF STUDENTS IN THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS AT ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF RIAU

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the influence of soft skills, internship experience, and social support on the work readiness of students in the Faculty of Economics and Business at the Islamic University of Riau. The background of this research is driven by the increasing challenges of the modern labor market, which requires graduates to possess not only academic competence but also non-technical skills and relevant practical experience. The study employs a quantitative approach using a survey method conducted on 40 respondents selected through purposive sampling. The research instrument consists of a Likert-scale questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using multiple linear regression with SPSS version 25. The results indicate that internship experience has a positive and significant effect on students’ work readiness, suggesting that the more internship experience students gain, the higher their level of readiness for employment. Conversely, soft skills and social support were found to have no significant effect on work readiness. This finding implies that interpersonal skills and social support have not yet become dominant factors in enhancing students’ preparedness to enter the workforce.