<![CDATA[This study aims to investigate the mediating role of entrepreneurial motivation in the relationships between income expectations, social capital, and entrepreneurial readiness among eleventh-grade students at public vocational high schools (SMKNs) in Jambi City. A quantitative explanatory design with a cross-sectional survey approach was employed. The population comprised 2,745 eleventh-grade students enrolled in public vocational high schools in Jambi City, from which 349 respondents were selected using proportionate stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) with SmartPLS 4. The results indicate that income expectations, social capital, entrepreneurial motivation, and entrepreneurial readiness were generally rated at a good level. Income expectations had positive and significant effects on entrepreneurial readiness (β = 0.293, t = 7.178, p < .001) and entrepreneurial motivation (β = 0.510, t = 13.922, p < .001). Social capital also had positive and significant effects on entrepreneurial readiness (β = 0.389, t = 8.974, p < .001) and entrepreneurial motivation (β = 0.445, t = 11.554, p < .001), while entrepreneurial motivation had a positive and significant effect on entrepreneurial readiness (β = 0.321, t = 5.831, p < .001). Entrepreneurial motivation partially mediated the relationships of income expectations and social capital with entrepreneurial readiness. These findings suggest that vocational education policies, entrepreneurship curriculum design, and school-based mentoring programs should be aligned to strengthen students’ financial literacy and expand access to entrepreneurial social networks, thereby better preparing SMK graduates to become job creators rather than job seekers.]]>
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