Digital Network Academy: Penguatan Kompetensi Jaringan Komputer Siswa SMK YAPIM Siak Hulu untuk Mendukung Kesiapan Kerja di Era Industri 4.0

Abstract

The digital transformation of the Industry 4.0 era has positioned computer network infrastructure as the backbone of almost every business sector, so that the demand for a workforce with networking skills continues to grow. Ironically, graduates of vocational high schools (SMK) still record the highest open unemployment rate among all levels of education in Indonesia, which indicates a gap between graduate competence and industry needs. A similar condition was found at SMK YAPIM Siak Hulu, Kampar Regency, whose computer network expertise programme faces limited practical equipment and limited hands-on configuration exercises. This community service activity aims to strengthen the technical competence and work readiness of students through a structured training programme entitled Digital Network Academy, which combines conceptual reinforcement, hands-on device configuration, topology simulation, and orientation towards professional certification. The implementation methods comprised a preliminary survey, coordination with the partner school, practice-based training arranged in four modules with a composition of thirty per cent theory and seventy per cent practice, group mentoring, and evaluation using a pre-test, a post-test, a practical assessment sheet, and a response questionnaire. The activity was attended by thirty-two students of grades XI and XII together with three vocational teachers. The results show that the average participant score rose from 48.3 to 81.6 with an N-gain of 0.64, which falls into the moderate category, with the largest improvement occurring in IP addressing, subnetting, and router configuration. Participants were able to build a basic network and carry out troubleshooting independently, and most of them stated that they felt more prepared to face the competency examination and the world of work. This activity demonstrates that practice-based training is an effective form of science and technology transfer for narrowing the competence gap of vocational students in the Industry 4.0 era.