<![CDATA[The objectives of this research are to investigate: (1) the factors which affect the employment preparedness of the students in Grade XII of Wikarya High Vocational School of Karanganyar; (2) the constraints of the employment preparedness encountered by the students in Grade XII of Wikarya High Vocational School of Karanganyar; and (3) the efforts taken to deal with the constraints of the employment preparedness of the students in Grade XII of Wikarya High Vocational School of Karanganyar. This research used the qualitative research method with the single embedded case study. The subjects of the research were the students in Grade XII of Wikarya High Vocational School of Karanganyar in Academic Year 2011/2012. The data sources of the research were informants, events, documents and archives. The data of the research were gathered through in-depth interview, observation, questionnaire, and content analysis and were validated by using the data source triangulation. They were then analyzed by using the interactive technique of analysis. The results of the research are as follows: (1) the factors which affect the employment preparedness of the students in Grade XII of Wikarya High Vocational School of Karanganyar include (a) their learning motivations, (b) their field practices, (c) their vocational guidance, (d) their parents? economic backgrounds, (e) their former learning achievement, and (f) job information; (2) the constraints which affect the employment preparedness of the students in Grade XII of Wikarya High Vocational School of Karanganyar comprise (a) motivation constraints, (b) field practice constraints, (c) vocational guidance constraints, (d) family economic background constraints, (e) learning achievement constraints, and (f) job information dissemination; and (3) the efforts taken by the students in Grade XII of Wikarya High Vocational School of Karanganyar to deal with the constraints of their employment preparedness take account of improving learning quality, bearing self-motivation, seeking capital support, and actively looking for job information. The efforts taken by the school to deal with the constraints of the employment preparedness of the students in Grade XII of Wikarya High Vocational School of Karanganyar are having cooperation with companies, establishing cooperation with PJTKI, delivering motivations and directions to the students, disseminating job information to the students, improving the facilities and infrastructures of the school, and improving the quality of education at the school.Keywords: Vocational High School, employment preparedness.]]>
