<![CDATA[Work readiness has become an important issue in vocational education, as vocational high school graduates are expected not only to master technical competencies but also to possess self-confidence and work-related skills that support their adaptation to the workplace. This study aimed to examine the effect of self-efficacy on the work readiness of twelfth-grade students at SMK Negeri 4 Kota Jambi, both directly and indirectly through employability skills as a mediating variable. A quantitative explanatory design was employed involving 346 respondents out of 423 students who had completed industrial work practice, with data analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that self-efficacy had a positive and significant effect on work readiness and employability skills, while employability skills also had a positive and significant effect on work readiness and partially mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and work readiness. The novelty of this study lies in highlighting the mediating role of employability skills in explaining how self-efficacy contributes to the work readiness of vocational high school students after industrial work practice.]]>
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