Application of Tracer Study for Alumni

Mapping and Reorientation of Graduate Profiles

Fendi Achmad(B) , Z. Syariffuddien, and Endryansyah Endryanyah

Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia

[email protected]

Abstract. The Electrical Engineering Education Study Program is one of the

study programs within the Faculty of Engineering, State University of Surabaya.
The Electrical Engineering Education Program must always develop itself based
on real data. One of the data bases in the development of the Electrical Engineering
Education study program is through data generated from alumni tracing activi-
ties or known as tracer studies. The UNESA Electrical Engineering Education S1
Study Program has 2 areas of interest including the field of Electrical Power Engi-
neering and the field of Communication Electronics Engineering. The curriculum
of the Electrical Engineering Education Study Program, FT Unesa, which was
developed is the OBE (Outcome Based Education)-based MBKM curriculum to
prepare for ASIIN international accreditation. A tracer study, which is understood
as an alumni survey, is carried out by universities with the aim of digging up infor-
mation related to the journey of graduates, starting from the time they finish their
education in college until the time the survey is carried out. Information obtained
from tracer studies is very useful for various evaluations of higher education out-
comes, improvement and assurance of the quality of higher education institutions
and the relevance of higher education, information for stakeholders, and the com-
pleteness of requirements for higher education accreditation. The main problem
of this tracer study is how to describe the career development of the alumni of the
Electrical Engineering Education Study Program in the world of work. In detail,
the tracer study aims to: (1) find out the job profile of alumni; (2) determine the
suitability of the profile of graduates of the Electrical Engineering Education Study
Program with the field of work; and (3) knowing the length of the waiting period
from graduation to getting the first job. The method used in this tracer study is a
survey. The population in this study are all alumni of the Electrical Engineering
Education Study Program graduating in 2021–2022. The total population is used
as a data source.

Keywords: Tracer study · Alumni · Mapping · Graduate profiles

1 Introduction
The quality of the study program is one of the indicators determined by the absorption of
graduates in the world of work because of the suitability of the competencies possessed by
graduates [1]. The suitability of the knowledge, abilities and skills possessed by graduates

© The Author(s) 2023

S. Setiawan et al. (Eds.): IJCAH 2022, ASSEHR 724, pp. 891–897, 2023.
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892 F. Achmad et al.

as well as professional abilities and self- development are important benchmarks for the
success of graduates in meeting the expectations of graduate users and the needs of
the job market [4, 6]. Indicators of the success of studies in carrying out the academic
process for students they teach can be seen from the curriculum according to user needs,
graduate competencies possessed by graduates and absorption of graduates in the job
market, professional career development and acceptance in public life in general [7, 8]
For this purpose, the study program needs to do things that it wants to miss or also known
as tracer studies.
Alumni studies or better known as tracer studies play an important role in the learning
process and academic quality development [9, 12]. Through the feedback provided to
graduates for study programs, it can provide benefits and be used for evaluation of
the academic process carried out as well as periodic curriculum improvements. The
study program can make improvements and increase the knowledge and skills needed
in accordance with user expectations along with technological, social, and institutional
developments and changes [10, 15].
A tracer study, which is understood as an alumni survey, is carried out by universities
to explore information related to the journey of graduates, starting from the time they
complete their education in college until the time the survey is carried out [15]. Infor-
mation obtained from tracer studies is very useful for monitoring and evaluating results,
improving and ensuring institutional quality and relevance, information for stakeholders,
and completing requirements for higher education accreditation [14, 15].
Tracer study is a study of tracer traces of graduates/alumni carried out after graduation
and aims to determine educational outcomes in the form of transition from the world of
higher education to the world of work, recent work situations, alignment and application
of competencies in the world of work. Tracer studies can also provide information on
educational outputs, namely self-assessment of mastery and acquisition of competencies,
the educational process in the form of evaluating the learning process and the contribution
of higher education to competency acquisition, as well as educational input in the form
of further excavation of graduate information [6, 11].
In the context of developing higher education, tracer studies play an important role,
as the initial stage of developing a new higher education curriculum, for example. Tracer
study is also one of the requirements for complete accreditation by the National Accred-
itation Board for Higher Education and also the completeness of the MBKM curriculum
document based on OBE (Outcome Based Education) for the preparation of ASIIN
international accreditation.
For this reason, universities or study programs are expected to run an appropriate
tracer study program that aims to determine the absorption, process, and position of
graduates in the world of work so that they can then prepare graduates in accordance
with the competencies and profiles of graduates needed in the world of work and assist
government programs in mapping and aligning the needs of the world of work with the
competencies obtained from universities.

Graduates Profile of the Electrical Engineering Education Program

Profile of graduates The Electrical Engineering Education study program aims to produce
undergraduate graduates in the field of electrical engineering expertise and electronics
engineering expertise who can work as vocational secondary education teachers with
 Application of Tracer Study for Alumni Mapping 893

the following descriptions: 1) Mastering and applying pedagogical, professional, per-

sonality, and social competencies of expertise programs electrical engineering electrical
engineering (teacher); 2) Mastering science and technology and having knowledge of
electrical engineering and electronic engineering (knowledge and understanding); 3)
Mastering analytical techniques and scientific methods to solve problems in practice in
the field of electrical engineering and electronic engineering (engineering analysis); 4)
Ability to design products in the field of electrical engineering and electronics engineer-
ing (engineering design); 5) Have skills in developing products in the field of electrical
engineering (engineering practice and product development); 6) Have the ability to
transfer knowledge and skills in the field of electrical engineering (transferable skills);
7) Have the ability to adapt to the progress of electricity.

2 Method
This research on tracer study is a type of quantitative descriptive research through a
survey approach which is carried out through several stages as follows: (1) instrument
development; (2) data collection stage, and (3) analysis and reporting stage. The sampling
method is carried out by means of stratified random sampling proportionally according
to the number of graduates and year of graduation.
The type of data collected in this study is primary data obtained directly from grad-
uates through structured questionnaires. The distribution of the questionnaires was car-
ried out online through electronic questionnaires, communication network platforms
through social media and graduate email. Quantitative data analysis is used to evaluate
the response rate to the questionnaire, if it is seen that the response rate is still low,
proactive efforts are made to increase the response rate. Tabulation of the results of
the questionnaire was carried out for data analysis of the results of the questionnaire.
Furthermore, verification of the findings with the relevant key indicators is carried out.
At the final stage, a graduate information database is created as a basis for provid-
ing recommendations, evaluating academic processes and improvements in curriculum
improvement and graduate profiles in the study program. Figure 1 describes the survey
approach procedure in the Electrical Engineering Education Study Program.

Fig. 1. The survey approach procedure in the Electrical Engineering Education Study Program.
894 F. Achmad et al.

3 Results and Discussion

The respondents in this study were alumni of the Electrical Engineering Education
Study Program who graduated in 2021–2022. From the results of descriptive analysis of
questionnaires that have been filled out by respondents through the Tracer Study website
of the State University of Surabaya (Unesa), it can be carried out an analysis related to
alumni mapping and reorientation of profiles of graduates of the Electrical Engineering
Education Study Program "produce undergraduate graduates in the field of electrical
engineering expertise and electronic engineering expertise who can work as vocational
secondary education teachers”.

3.1 Job Profile (Spread of Work Place)

The following is the distribution of institutions/companies/schools where alumni of the

Electrical Engineering Education Study Program work. The distribution of work places
for alumni of the Electrical Engineering Education Study Program, such as: (a) PT. Trias
Sentosa Tbk, (b) PT. Mitra Integrasi Informatika, (c) PT. Surindo Teguh Gemilang, (d)
PT. Keramik diamond industry, (e) CV. Viktori Profindo Automation, (f) PT. Mayora
Indah Tbk, (g) PT. Home Center Indonesia (Informa), (h) SMK Negeri 7 Surabaya, (i)
PT. Securiko Indonesia Bina Insan Mandiri, (j) SMK Muhammadiyah Taman Sidoarjo,
(k) PT. Tri Adi Bersama, (l) SMK Muhammadiyah Trawas Acasa Creative, (m) UD.
Perdana Motor, (n) PT. Sun Paper Source, (o) SMK IT Insan Permata Bojonegoro, (p)
Dinas Perhubungan Kota Surabaya, (q) Anteraja, (r) PT. Linknet, Tbk, (s) SMKN 1
Gudo, (t) SMK NMC Malang, (u) Madrasah Aliyah Al Imam Sawoo, dan (v) SMK Sore
Tulungagung.

3.2 The First Job Linkage/Relationship with the Field of Science and Graduate
Profile

Based on temporary data obtained, 37.5% of alumni work in the field of Education
(Teachers), while 46% of alumni work in industries according to their scientific fields
(Electrical Engineering), and the remaining 16.5% of alumni choose to open their own
businesses according to their scientific fields (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. The relationship/relationship of work with the scientific field

 Application of Tracer Study for Alumni Mapping 895

13%
1-3 month
48% 4-6 month
39% > 7 month

Fig. 3. Waiting time to get a job

3.3 Waiting Time to Get a Job

Based on the data obtained, it can be seen that as many as 48% of alumni of the Electrical
Engineering Education Study Program can get a job 1–3 months after graduating and
only 39% can get a job 4–6 months after graduation, the remaining 13% who get a job
more than 7 months (Fig. 3).

4 Conclusions

Based on the analysis related to alumni mapping and reorienting the profile of graduates
of the Electrical Engineering Education Study Program "produce undergraduate gradu-
ates in the field of electrical engineering expertise and electronic engineering expertise
who can work as vocational secondary education teachers" it can be concluded.

1) Most of the alumni of the Electrical Engineering Education Study Program work in
private counseling companies). But there are also those who work as entrepreneurs.
2) Most alumni of the Electrical Engineering Education Study Program get jobs that
are in accordance with their scientific fields.
3) Most alumni of the Electrical Engineering Education Study Program find work in
the first month to the third month after graduation.

Acknowledgment. This research was funded by Rector of Universitas Negeri Surabaya to

supporting this research. The authors are also grateful to colleagues for finishing this paper.

Authors’ Contributions. Fendi Achmad contributed to manuscript conceptualization, M.

Syariffuddien Z contributed to editing, and Endryansyah Endryanyah contributed to review for
submission.
896 F. Achmad et al.

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