Abstract
The quality of educators is a fundamental pillar in human resource development. Indonesia faces a projected teacher deficit of up to 1.3 million by 2024, accompanied by a competency gap between education graduates and real-world demands. This study aims to analyze the effect of the School Field Introduction Program (PLP) effectiveness on the work readiness of students in the Elementary School Teacher Education Study Program (PGSD) at the Indonesian Christian University of Toraja. The theoretical foundation used is the Experiential Learning Theory. This study employed a quantitative approach with purposive sampling of 92 PGSD students from the 2023 cohort who had completed the PLP program. The independent variable is the PLP program effectiveness, measured through five indicators: lesson planning, lesson implementation, evaluation and assessment, school environment adaptation, and professional reflection. The dependent variable is work readiness, measured through six indicators: pedagogical readiness, professional competence, social competence, mental and emotional readiness, professional motivation and commitment, and generic skills. Data analysis was conducted using simple linear regression with SPSS. The results indicate that the PLP program has a positive and significant effect on the work readiness of PGSD students at the Indonesian Christian University of Toraja. The coefficient of determination (R Square) demonstrates that the PLP program effectiveness contributes 43.1% to explaining student work readiness variability, while the remaining 56.9% is influenced by other variables outside this study.
