Determinants of work readiness as a teacher for higher education students in industry revolution of 4.0

PurposeThe Industrial Revolution 4.0 impacted education, notably during the COVID-19 outbreak. Teachers should be familiar with the dynamic teaching and learning of classroom and virtual classes. They should provide various and exciting media. It influences the work readiness of a teacher for higher education students. Further, nowadays, interest in becoming a teacher is declining. They prefer having another profession to being a teacher. This study analyzes the determinants of work readiness as a teacher for higher education students.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses a quantitative research model: a survey method with an influence analysis approach through structural equation modeling analysis to determine the influence of digital literacy, self-efficacy and perceptions of the teaching profession on readiness to become a teacher. The population in this study was the UNNES Economics Education students' class of the year 2018, totaling 350 students with a total sample of 187. The data collection technique used in this research is a questionnaire with score criteria based on a Likert scale.FindingsDigital literacy and teacher professional perception play an essential role in work readiness for higher education students as a teacher. Meanwhile, self-efficacy has a positive but insignificant influence on work readiness as a teacher. One of the things that make self-efficacy have a less significant impact is the need for vicarious experience indicators in shaping student self-efficacy.Practical implicationsTeaching is a noble profession. Research on work readiness as a teacher is still limited. Nowadays, only a few students are interested in being a teacher because they need more enthusiasm. The findings of this research can be an alternative solution to managerial staff at higher education to equip the students with digitalization technology, positive teacher perception and increase the students' self-efficacy.Originality/valueThe study on work readiness as a teacher for higher-education students has yet to be explored. Being a teacher is an art that needs skills and competencies because teachers educate humans that have dynamic critical thinking, ideas and behaviors. This study investigates the determinants of work readiness as a teacher for higher education students in the digitalization technology era.