Lecturer Competence and Internship Programmes as Catalysts for Developing Agricultural Education Graduates’ Competencies for The World of Work

The primary purpose of this study is to develop and test a predictive structural model that explains how lecturer competencies influence applied learning outcomes. Internship performance is positioned as both an outcome of lecturer competence and a mediating variable that connects teaching quality to graduate competency achievement. By employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the study evaluates both the measurement model (validity and reliability of constructs) and the structural model (relationships among latent variables). This approach enables a comprehensive assessment of direct and indirect effects within a complex, multivariate framework. The expected outcomes of this research include: (1) empirical evidence regarding the extent to which different dimensions of lecturer competence affect student internship performance; (2) clarification of the mediating role of internship performance in strengthening graduate competency achievement; and (3) practical recommendations for higher education institutions, particularly faculties of agriculture, to enhance teaching quality and align academic instruction with experiential learning. Ultimately, the study seeks to contribute to the improvement of graduate readiness, professional competence, and institutional quality assurance in higher education.