This study aims to formulate competenc ies in autotronic s specifically in the cluster of Vehicle Control System (VCS) needed by the automotive service industry (ASI) and its relevance to th ose taught at Vocational Schools (VSs) . Employing a survey method , this research is a quantitative study involving owners, ma nagers, heads of workshops, and service managers of 10 ASI and educators from VSs offering autotronic expertise competencies . Data were collected through questionnaires, structured interviews, observation, and documentation study , and were analyzed descriptively. The results reveal that, of the 30 VCS competency units (CUs) , 4 are both needed by ASI and taught at VSs, 11 are required by ASI but not studied at VSs, another CU is not needed by ASI but introduced at VSs, and the other 14 CUs ar e neither required by ASI nor trained at VSs . Keywords: Autotronics, competencies, and vocational school . Cite this Article: Wagiran and Yudha Ari Purnama , Automotive Service Industry Needs of Autotronic Competencies and those Prepared by the Education . International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology . 11(4), 2020, pp. 34-43. http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=11&ITy pe=4 1. INTRODUCTION Automotive technology has develop ed rapidly as technology and business disruption is introduced in the 21st Century. This development has been accelerated by the presence of the fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) marked by extraordinary enhancement in terms of artificial intelligence, robotics, the I nternet of things (IoT) , autonomo us vehicles, 3 -D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, material s science, energy storage, and quantum computing [1]. Everywhere people can easily encounter mobile , super -computing , intelligent robots, self-driving cars, neuro -technologic brain enhancements, and genetic editing. Evidence of th ese dramatic change s is all around and turns out with exponential speed [2]. Just as phones got smart, so are cars, and t hey do not quite think, but will respond and remind. Cars on the road are being equipp ed with danger -warning applications, traffic information services, and host of infotainment features and increas ed safety features as well [3]. Automotive Service Industry Needs of Autotronic Competencies and those Prepared by the Education http://www.iaeme.com/ IJMET/index. asp 35 editor@iaeme.com In regard to this, t he automotive engineering industry is an commercial enterprise that continues to experience rapid development , starting from manufacturing cars with a conventional system that is mechanical in nature to those dominated by electronic systems that are analog and digital. Even in the future there may appear cars that are intelligent enough to be abl e to configure itself with the driver automatically. "By 2025, the vehicle will be sophisticated enough to configure itself to a driver and other occuparts" [4]. Figure 1 Main functions of cars based on electronic systems (Source: IBM Institute for Business Value Analysis , www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/4JEQ0DN1 ) The sub -sector s of the field of automatic engineering emerge on the basis of the development of electronic control systems increasingly being installed in motorized vehicles. Since the discovery of semiconductor materials in the era of the 60s and the outgrowth of inform ation technology better known as the digital era or the era of computerization, the electronic control system in all fields has been growing rapidly, including in the motorized vehicle s. The increasing desire and demand of humans for safety, comfort, and e ase of driving go hands in hands with the more developed electronic system in motor vehicles. In addition, the modification of electronic systems in motor vehicles also initiates the first step in the automotive engineering industry to move towards automob iles running fully automatic operation s and electric -fueled cars. Some enhancements in the automotive field, especially autotronics, undoubtedly have consequences for the automotive service industry (ASI) to always be able to serve the needs of consumers i n dealing with various kinds of problems and maintenance of autotronic systems. To perform these tasks , naturally employees are expected to upgrade their competencies to catch up with the robust development of the future autotronic technology. In the conte xt of workforce preparation, vocational education (VE) especially Vocational School s (VSs) plays a strategic role in preparing middle -level workforce candidates in th is field. This is inseparable from the VE purpose , namely to prepare students to enter the workforce [5] [6] [7] [8] or education for the workforce [9] [10]. VE graduates are expected to have competencies according to the employment needs and be able to adapt to various characteristics of change s. Associated with the challenges of the 21st Cent ury and IR 4.0, VSs should present learning that can equip graduates who are innovative, inventive, self -motivated and self -directed, generate creative problem solvers facing increasingly complex global problems, having digital literacy and higher -order thinking skills. In other words, t hree very essential competencies to possess include learning and innovation skills; information, media, and technology skills; and life and career skills [11] [12]. Wagiran and Yudha Ari Purnama http://www.iaeme.com/ IJMET/index. asp 36 editor@iaeme.com Relevance is the keyword for the implementation of VE, but unfortunately , mismatch is still a major problem [13] [14] [15] , as seen in the autotronic s field of expertise. This is possibly complexly aggravated by the lack of research conducted to investigate the relevance of learning in VS s with the need s for competencies in the researched field. Hence, t his study seeks to formulate the autotronic competencies in the VCS cluster needed by the automotive service industry and enumerate those taught in VS s to see how relevant both are . In detail, this research answers the following main questions .  What is the formulation of middle -level employee s’ autotronic competencies in the VCS cluster based on the national VE guidelines ?  What is the description of middle -level employee s’ autotronic competencies in the VCS c luster as required by the automotive service industry?  How relevant are the middle -level employee s’ autotronic competencies in the VCS cluster as taught in V Ss with those required by the automotive service industry ? Competenc ies, as referred to as in this study , can be interpreted as the ability mastered by someone to enter the workforce. This is in line with the ideas suggested by some studies [16] [17] [18] [19] which reveal that competenc ies encompass the dimensions of knowledge, skills and atti tude needed by the world of work. DeSeCo Project [20] asserts that competency is more than just knowledge and skills , as i t involves the ability to meet complex demands, by drawing and mobilizing psychosocial resources , including skills and attitudes. Whil e from its urgency, Gagnon [21] states that competency is the key to today's world of education. The competency units (CUs) formulated in the field of autotronics engineering , based on the synthesis of the Indonesian National Work Competency Standards ( SKK NI), National Qualification Framework (KKNI ), and Vocational Schools Basic -Core Competencies (KI- KD), are classified into five main clusters or key functions , namely (1) Basics of Autotronic System s; (2) Engine Management System (EMS); (3) Chassis Manageme nt System (CMS); (4) Comfort, Safety, and Information Technology (CSIT); and (5) Vehicle Control System (VCS). Further more, these five main clusters are divided into 47 main functions and later developed into 101 basic functions further elaborated into several CUs . As this study focuses on the VCS cluster , the results are expected to unveil the link and match of autrotonic engineering competencies trained at VSs with those expected by ASI and the relevancy of both. 2. METHODOLOGY This study is quantita tive in nature, and it employed a survey method to achieve its aims, formulat ing the relevance of ASI needs of the autotronic competencies in the VCS cluster with those learned at VSs . The research paradigm underlying the study is presented in Figure 2. Re spondents in this study were purposefully selected , namely owners, managers, heads of workshops, service managers of 10 ASI and three educators from VS s. The aforementioned ASI consists of the general/custom service industr ies and brand -holder sole distributors (ATPMs ) with details as described in Table 1. Automotive Service Industry Needs of Autotronic Competencies and those Prepared by the Education http://www.iaeme.com/ IJMET/index. asp 37 editor@iaeme.com Figure 2 The research paradigm Data were collected through include close -ended questionnaires, structured interviews, observations, and document studies. The questionnaires adopted a Guttman scale with a score of 0 and 1. Respondents from ASI responded to the questionnaire by considering the extent to which the competency items possessed by The Autotonic Engineering Expertise Competencies ( TOTR ) graduates listed were needed by the workforce. Respondents from VSs, likewise, were asked to fill in the questionnaire based on whether the listed CUs are taught to TOTR students . The questionnaire was then distributed to respondents using the principle s of the Delphi Technique [5]. Each respondent, without knowing the identity of ea ch other, was asked to fill out a questionnaire in the form of a checklist . Besides, t he questionnaire was prepared based on the synthesis of CUs from SKKNI, KKNI, and KI -KD of the autotronic s engineering. Interviews, observations, and document studies in this study were conducted to strengthen the data analysis results from the questionnaire. The validation of the research instrument was carried out by expert judgment [22] [23] . Alpha coefficient of 0.970 indicates that the instrument , in the form of a questionnaire used in this study , is reliable [24] [25]. Wagiran and Yudha Ari Purnama http://www.iaeme.com/ IJMET/index. asp 38 editor@iaeme.com Table 1 Research respondents NO Work Unit Position Category 1 Automotive Service Industry Service Manager ATPM 2 Head of the Workshop ATPM 3 Service Advisor ATPM 4 Owner Custom 5 Manager Custom 6 Service Manager ATPM 7 Owner Custom 8 Owner Custom 9 Instructor ATPM 10 Head of the Workshop ATPM 11 Vocational School Teacher/Instructor Education 12 Teacher/Instructor Education 13 Teacher/Instructor Education The data in this study were analyzed descriptively. CUs are considered needed by the automotive service industry or taught by VS s if the unit item ’s percentage is higher than or the same as ( ≥) the mean, and they are considered ‘not needed or not taught’ by both parties if the percentage of the items is less than ( <) the mean. 3. RESULTS AND DISCU SSION 3.1. The Formulation of Middle -Level Employee Competenc ies in Autotronic s The formulation of mid -level workforce competenc ies in autotronic s is compiled by synthesizing three guidelines that apply nationally . a. The D ecree of the Minister of Manpower N o. 167 of 2019 concerning the Determination of National Work Competency Standards in the Wholesale and Retail Trade Category; Repair and Maintenance of Cars and Motorbikes in the Main Group of Trade, Repair and Maintenance of Cars and Motorbikes in the Automotive Engineering Sub-sector in the Automated Engineering Field. b. Level II Certification Scheme of KKNI in the Competency of Auto tronic s Engineering. c. KI-KD (Basic -Core Competence) in Autotronic s Engineering The synthesis results of the three guidelines as the competenc ies of middle -level employee s in autotronic s combine d with their competency level [26] are presented in Table 2. Table 2 Middle -level employee competencies in autotronic s Main Competency Competence Unit Competency Level Electronic Control Unit (ECU) System Identify components ... C2 (Understand ) Understand the working principle ... Simulate work ... on the practice board C3 (Apply ) Assemble a circuit ... on a car Measur e the amount of electric power of components ... C4 (Analyse ) Diagnose damage that occurs to ... Repair damage to ... C3 (Apply ) Test the performance of ... C5 (Evaluate ) In-Vehicle Networking System (IVNS) Parsing types of Scantool communication data & ... C2 (Understand ) Translate Scantool real time communication data with ... Automotive Service Industry Needs of Autotronic Competencies and those Prepared by the Education http://www.iaeme.com/ IJMET/index. asp 39 editor@iaeme.com Operate communication data between Scantool and ... C3 (Apply ) Analyze Scantool real time communication data with ... C4 (Analyse ) Diagnose damage to ... Repair damage to ... C3 (Apply ) Test the performance of ... C5 (Evaluate ) Fundamental Control System for Automotive (FCSA) Understand various types of microcontrollers C1 (Remember ) Understand microcontroller block diagrams on a car ECU C2 (Understand ) Present the microcontroller block data diagram on a car ECU C3 (Apply ) Design a circuit drawing ... based on a microcontroller Assembl e a microcontroller -based circuit on a car Analyz e the performance of microcontroller - based circuits C4 (Analyse ) Test the work of a circuit ... based on a microcontroller C5 (Evaluate ) Develop and Modify Vehicle Control System (VCS) Explain how a downloader operat es C2 (Understand ) Identify the flowchart on a car ECU Make a flowchart on a car ECU C3 (Apply ) Translate the flowchart that was created Analyz e microcontroller -based ECU simulators C4 (Analyse ) Develop a program and do flashing C3 (Apply ) Test the performance of a microcontroller - based ECU simulato rs C5 (Evaluate ) Develop, make & apply electronic modifications to VCS C6 (Create ) The results of the synthesis of the three guidelines in Table 2 are