<![CDATA[This study examines the mediating role of Special Job Exchange (Bursa Kerja Khusus/BKK) effectiveness in the relationships between link and match, industry partnership, and job fair and the employment transition of vocational high school (SMK) graduates. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was applied. The quantitative phase surveyed 120 alumni of SMK Negeri 2 Jember selected through stratified proportionate random sampling, and the data were analyzed with partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4. The qualitative phase used interviews with purposively selected informants, analyzed in NVivo 15, to explain the statistical results. The measurement model satisfied the criteria for convergent validity, discriminant validity, and reliability. Link and match (β = 0.464, p < 0.001) and industry partnership (β = 0.297, p < 0.001) positively affected BKK effectiveness, whereas job fair did not (β = 0.117, p = 0.217). BKK effectiveness significantly improved graduates’ employment transition (β = 0.385, p < 0.001), while none of the three exogenous variables affected employment transition directly. BKK effectiveness mediated the effects of link and match (β = 0.178, p = 0.002) and industry partnership (β = 0.114, p = 0.005) on employment transition, but it did not mediate the effect of job fair (β = 0.045, p = 0.269). The model explained 33.3% of the variance in BKK effectiveness and 28.3% in employment transition. The qualitative findings show that BKK works as an institutional bridge that converts graduate competence and industry networks into real job opportunities. Strengthening BKK services is therefore essential for vocational schools.]]>
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