Holland-Based Career Guidance and Career Maturity among Vocational Students: A Local Cultural Perspective on Future Career Direction

Gusman Lesmana (Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia)
Ismayani Maya (Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia)
Setiana Setiana (Universitas Islam Al-Ihya, Kuningan, Jawa Barat)
Selamat Husni Hasibuan (Monash University, Melbourne, Australia)

Journal of Innovation in Educational and Cultural Research
Vol 7, No 4 (2026)

Career maturity is an important competence for vocational high school students in preparing for future career decisions. In many contexts, students' career orientations are influenced not only by their interests and abilities but also by local cultural values that shape expectations about future work and life directions. This study examines the effect of Holland-based career guidance (RIASEC) on improving the career maturity of vocational students while considering local cultural perspectives on future career direction. This study used a quantitative experimental approach with a One-Group Pre-test–Post-test design involving 68 vocational high school students in Medan, Indonesia. Holland-based career guidance sessions were implemented to help students identify personality types, interests, and suitable career pathways. Data were collected using a career maturity scale and analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test with SPSS, followed by effect size analysis. The descriptive results showed an increase in students' career maturity scores from the pre-test to the post-test. The statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores after the intervention. The calculated effect size indicates a large effect, demonstrating that Holland-based career guidance effectively improves students' career maturity, particularly in understanding personal potential, aligning interests with career choices, and planning future career directions. Integrating local cultural perspectives also helps students connect their career aspirations with family and community expectations. In conclusion, Holland-based career guidance integrated with local cultural perspectives can be implemented as a practical counseling strategy in Indonesian vocational schools by assisting guidance counselors in developing culturally responsive career services and supporting vocational curricula that strengthen students' career planning, self-understanding, and readiness for future employment decisions.