Tegal Regency – A research collaboration between Semarang State University (UNNES) and the Regional Education Office XI officially launched with a ceremonial opening ceremony for the research project entitled “Developing a Career Psychoeducation Model Based on the Local Culture of the Striped Bull to Improve Employability for Vocational High School Students.”
The event, held at SMK Negeri 1 Adiwerna, was attended by 40 eleventh-grade students from eight engineering majors and 11 Guidance and Counseling (BK) teachers. Also present were the Head of the Regional Education Office XI, Mr. Sulikin, S.Pd., M.Pd.; the Principal of SMK Negeri 1 Adiwerna, Mr. Joko Pramono, S.Pd., M.Pd.; and Teguh Buji Harsono, a member of the Tegal Regency Cultural Advisory Board.
The event was opened by the Principal of SMK Negeri 1 Adiwerna, followed by a presentation by Erni Kurniawati, S.Pd., M.Pd., on the research concept for developing a psychoeducational model for career construction based on local culture as an effort to strengthen vocational school students’ work readiness through the integration of the “Banteng Loreng Binoncengan” values in Tegal Regency.
UNNES lecturer and research team representative, Firdian Setiya Arinata, S.Pd., M.Pd., stated in his remarks that this research is expected to bring new meaning to the development of career guidance services in vocational schools through a psychoeducational approach based on local culture. This research aims to produce a career intervention model that is more contextual, closer to students’ lives, and able to help students prepare for entering the workforce after graduation.
This point was reinforced by Tegal Regency cultural expert, Teguh Buji Harsono, who explained the cultural philosophy of “Banteng Loreng Binoncengan” as a symbol of courage in the Tegal community. The bull is interpreted as a strong and courageous person in facing life’s challenges. According to him, if in the past the colonialists were present in a tangible form, the challenges facing today’s young generation are “colonials of uncertainty,” namely living conditions and a world of work full of competition, pressure, and rapid change. Therefore, the younger generation needs to have an identity, a strong mentality, and a fighting spirit to survive the future.
This activity also received appreciation from the Head of the Education Office Region XI, Mr. Sulikin, S.Pd., M.Pd., who in his remarks emphasized that career guidance by guidance counselors today is not limited to simply providing information about jobs or further education. Guidance counselors are expected to help develop students’ mental readiness, fighting spirit, adaptability, and resilience in facing the challenges of an increasingly complex work world.
The activity, held on May 13, 2026, represents a synergy between universities, schools, educational authorities, and cultural figures to strengthen character education, job readiness, and the cultural identity of the younger generation of vocational high schools in Tegal Regency.
This activity is also the result of a collaborative team of lecturers and students from the UNNES Guidance and Counseling Study Program, namely:
Chair:
Sunawan, S.Pd., M.Pd., Ph.D.
Team Members:
- Firdian Setiya Arinata, S.Pd., M.Pd.
- Rossi Galih Kesuma, S.Pd., M.Pd.
- Erni Kurniawati, M.Pd.
- Muh. Azhar Mubarak, S.Sos., M.A.
- Sugiarto Fajar, S.Pd.
Through this activity, the Semarang State University team hopes to develop a career intervention model that not only helps vocational high school students prepare for the world of work but also builds character, resilience, adaptability, and self-identity by strengthening the local cultural values of Tegal Regency.
