Building Career Readiness in the Digital Era: The Role of Individual and Educational Resources through Digital Skill Advantage

Abstract

Digital fluency does not automatically translate into employability, so universities need evidence on which resources build the digital capabilities that Generation Z graduates require. This study examines how individual resources (self-efficacy and digital mindset) and educational resources (curriculum and internship program) shape digital skill advantage (DSA), and whether DSA carries their effects to career readiness. Survey data were collected from 365 final-semester students and fresh graduates in Central Java, Yogyakarta, and nearby provinces in Indonesia, and analyzed with covariance-based structural equation modeling, controlling for socioeconomic status and parental career congruence. Self-efficacy (B = 0.327, p = .048), curriculum (B = 0.112, p = .036), and internship program (B = 0.079, p = .047) positively predicted DSA, whereas digital mindset did not (p = .171). DSA strongly predicted career readiness (B = 0.957, p < .001). Sobel tests supported indirect effects of self-efficacy and curriculum, and a borderline effect of internship program. Universities should combine confidence-building activities, digitally integrated curricula, and structured internships to strengthen graduates' digital advantage.