Strategic model to enhance the benefits of architect competency certification: evidence from an alumni tracer study in East Java
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51798/sijis.v6i4.1233Keywords:
Architectural; Competency Certification; Self-Motivation; SEM-PLS; Tracer StudyAbstract
(1) Background: This study aims to develop and empirically test a strategic model explaining the perceived usefulness of architectural competency certification by examining the roles of personal factors, institutional support, and mediating variables among architecture graduates in Indonesia. (2) Methods: A quantitative, non-experimental (ex post facto) research design was employed using an alumni tracer study approach. Data were collected from 121 undergraduate architecture alumni from 15 public and private universities in East Java who graduated between 2020 and 2024. A structured questionnaire was administered online, and the data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (SEM-PLS) and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA). (3) Results: The findings indicate that self-motivation is the strongest determinant of the perceived usefulness of competency certification. Awareness of certification importance positively influences self-motivation, while economic conditions exert a significant negative effect. Multi-Group Analysis reveals no significant differences between certified and non-certified alumni, indicating that the structural relationships are consistent across groups. (4) Conclusions: The study concludes that the usefulness of architectural competency certification is driven primarily by personal motivation and perceived value rather than institutional support alone. Practically, the results highlight the need for integrated strategies that strengthen motivation, awareness, and experiential readiness to enhance the benefits of certification for architecture graduates.
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