In transitioning to Industry 5.0, vocational education often emphasizes hard skills, neglecting the crucial balance with soft skills, especially interpersonal skills, essential for this era. This oversight may impair workforce effectiveness and economic competitiveness. This study explores vocational teachers’ and students’ perceptions regarding the integration of interpersonal skills into the curriculum, using a qualitative case study approach. A survey involving 42 vocational teachers and 73 vocational students, followed by semi-structured interviews with 8 teachers and 9 students from various Indonesian provinces, was conducted. Thematic analysis highlighted four key themes: essential interpersonal skills for Industry 5.0, effective instructional strategies, learning challenges, and the need for comprehensive support systems. Findings revealed a significant gap in incorporating comprehensive interpersonal skills in vocational education, underscoring the urgency to evolve and include new skills. Challenges identified include the need for enhanced awareness, literacy, readiness, and motivation among educators and learners. The study emphasized the importance of support systems, including peers, family, and institutional backing, in nurturing these skills. This research highlights the critical need for vocational education to recalibrate its focus towards a balanced development of hard and soft skills to meet Industry 5.0’s demands. It advocates for reevaluating educational strategies to embed interpersonal skills effectively and calls for stronger support mechanisms to facilitate holistic student development. These insights aim to guide policymakers and educational institutions in refining curricula and teaching approaches, preparing students for future societal and economic landscapes. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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