occupation. The primary aim of this research is to ascertain the level of relevance between
employment and educational background, and to assess graduates' competencies. Given the
phenomenon of alumni tracing, the researcher has chosen to conduct a study titled "Analysis
of the Influence of Competence among 2019 UNIDA Gontor Graduates on the Relevance Level
between Fields of Study and Employment (UNIDA, 2019).
The enhancement of alumni competencies is often discerned through tracer studies. In
theory, competence comprises a combination of knowledge, values, skills, and attitudes
reflected in thinking and actions (Mulyasa, 2019). Arifin defined competence as a unique
fusion of knowledge and skills. Meanwhile, according to Employment Law No. 13 of 2003,
competence is defined as an individual's work capability, encompassing knowledge, skills, and
work attitudes in alignment with established standards. Sadjad et al., (2002) contended that
relevance is the crucial determinant of the existence of an educational institution. Tritjahjo
proposes that the enhancement of higher education relevance can be achieved through a series
of activities involving education, teaching, research, and community service (Tritjahjo, 2005).
Regarding performance theory, Aslami et al., (2018) states that performance is the outcome of
both physical and non-physical job execution. Similarly, Anwar et al., (2016) aligns
performance with the concept of "performance," essentially depicting the realization of tasks
as a responsibility and the actualization of possessed competencies.
The analysis of the influence of 2018 UNIDA Gontor Graduates' Competence on the
Relevance Level between Fields of Study and Employment has emerged as a distinctive
phenomenon within tracer study research. Here are some relevant studies found in the
literature: A comparative analysis of tracer study results in the international relations and public
administration programs (Fanani et al., 2017).
The objective of the above study was to address issues related to graduates' absorption
into the job market and the waiting period for alumni to secure employment after completing
their studies. The findings revealed that the international relations and public administration
programs were considered priorities among six prominent universities in East Java. The
research outcomes suggested the opening of international relations and public administration
programs as an effort to develop the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the Islamic
State University of Walisongo.
RESEARCH METHOD
This research was conducted using a quantitative approach, wherein a survey was
administered to a cohort of alumni, constituting both the population and sample under
investigation (Sugiyono, 2020). The study was executed in February 2021, entailing the
dissemination of a tracer study questionnaire to the alumni of UNIDA Gontor who graduated
in 2019. Secondary data, obtained from an auxiliary source as an archival repository of UNIDA
Gontor's tracer study institution, was the principal data type utilized. This secondary data
encompassed the outcomes derived from UNIDA Gontor's 2019 tracer study. For data
collection, a tracer study research instrument was employed. The university systematically
dispatched the instrument to all alumni of the 2019 cohort via an online submission portal.
Respondents, comprising alumni, diligently responded to the tracer study questionnaire within
the stipulated time frame. The research encompassed a population comprising alumni of
UNIDA Gontor's 2019 graduating class. Furthermore, the sampling procedure adopted a
probability sampling technique, specifically employing a stratified random sampling
methodology across the diverse faculties of UNIDA Gontor. This process entailed the random
selection of participants from each distinct data subgroup or category. The total cohort of
alumni graduating in the year 2019 amounted to 496 individuals. The determination of the