STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING THE COMPETENCE OF SHARIA BANKING STUDENTS’ CAREER INTEREST IN SHARIA FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Strategies fo Increasing ….. Abstract Indonesia is a country with the largest Muslim population of 231,069,932 people based on data from the Indonesian ministry of religion. That figure is equal to 84.37% of Indonesia’s total population of 273,879,750 people. As home to 84.37% of the Muslim population, Indonesia has fantastic potential sharia in the business world. The development of the sharia business lately has been rapid. Many demand scholars who understand the world of sharia business has resulted in increased job opportunities. The availability of vacancies in Islamic financial institutions requires competent human resources or graduates in the fields of economics and Islamic banking. The purpose of this research is to analyze the strategy of increasing the competence of sharia banking students at UIN Sumatera Utara in the interest of a career in sharia financial institutions. The research uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive analysis method. Research techniques used are interview, observation, literature review, and documentation. The result showed that the informant has a high interest in a career in sharia financial institutions due to labor market considerations, the working environment, financial rewards/salaries, and religiosity. However, it is not in line with the dominance of human resources who have no sharia banking education background in these institutions. Thus, we need the right strategy to improve the competence of students in order to produce sharia graduates who are competent and ready to compete in the world of work financial rewards/salaries and religiosity. Therefore, we need the right strategy to improve the competence of students in order to produce sharia graduates who are competent and ready to compete in the world of work.


INTRODUCTION
Indonesia is a country with the largest Muslim population. Based on data from the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia, the total Muslim population in Indonesia is 231,069,932 people (kemenag.go.id, 2022). This number is equivalent to 84,37% of Indonesia's total population of 273.879.750 people (dukcapil.kemendagri.go.id, 2021). As home to 84.37% of the Muslim population, Indonesia has tremendous potential in the world of sharia business. The development of the sharia business lately is very fast. A large number of requests for scholars who understand the world of sharia business has resulted in increasing job openings. The number of vacancies in Islamic financial institutions needs to be balanced with competent graduates in the fields of economics and Islamic banking (Navisha & Ahmadsyah, 2022).
Islamic banks are banks whose banking system adheres to various sharia principles. Al-Qur'an and Sunnah are the basis of sharia principles. In the Indonesian context, sharia principles are the principles of Islamic law in banking and financial activities based on fatwas issued by the competent authorities in the field of sharia (Andri Soemitra, 2009). During the reformation period, the development of Islamic banks was marked by the passing of Law, Number 10, 1998. This law provides services that are (equal treatment) which includes conventional and sharia banks. Judging from the number when the law was passed, there was only one Islamic bank, namely Bank Muamalat which reached around 70 BPRS (Budiono, 2017). The law explains in detail not only the types of business that can be carried out by Islamic banks but also the legal basis. In addition, this law also directs various conventional banks to open Islamic branches and even convert them into Islamic banks (Khairunnisa, 2022).
After the existence of the legal, the increase and growth undertaken by Islamic banking is increasingly rapid. Reporting from idxchannel.com in 2021, the Islamic finance industry in Indonesia is ranked second after Malaysia. This is certainly a great potential for Islamic finance to become a driver of economic growth in Indonesia. The progress illustrates the magnitude of Indonesia's opportunity as a global Islamic financial industry power. Of course, it must be balanced with an increase in the quantity and quality of resources in order to achieve the expected goals. We are experiencing a HR crisis both in terms of quality but also in quantity.
Therefore, as part of the company's performance, the workforce and finance divisions need to select human resources who have adequate expertise and knowledge in the field of Islamic banking. Islamic bank human resources must have qualifications that are not the same as human resources conventional banks. This is the main differentiator from conventional banks. In other words, sharia principles can be concluded to refer to Islamic sharia which is based on the Qur'an and hadith (ojk.go.id.).
To meet the huge human resource needs, a synergistic effect is needed between educational institutions, government and financial institutions. In addition, educational institutions must be able to simultaneously produce human resources who are certain to be skilled in the field of banking and sharia. To deal with this need, the Sharia Banking Study Program, Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business (FEBI), UIN SU, not only emphasizes preparing graduates to understand science, but it is okay to do more than what has been emphasized, for example, sharia knowledge must also be instilled in lectures.
Therefore, the realization of independent students who are strong and resilient, so that these students are able to apply in the world of work by considering Islamic values.
Another strategic step that can be taken is to equip students with practice or skills according to the needs of future employers through simultaneous courses in banking and sharia.
Sharia banking alumni are expected to have the character of being able to work competently and professionally in competing in the world of work, based on their knowledge of banking and sharia, from which they will consider choosing a career in sharia financial entities as an alternative outside of career choices, namely becoming accountants,

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
In accordance with Siagian's book Strategic Management (2018), strategy is a large scale plan that allows organizations to interact effectively in competitive conditions with the aim of overcoming the environment and optimizing achievement. While, in the dictionary of management terms, strategy is defined as a careful plan of activities to achieve certain goals, related to time and scope. Strategy is the most important factor when running a company well. Strategy is a guideline for allocating a company's business resources, explaining the direction of the business in accordance with the chosen environment (Lanniza, 2021).
In addition, according to Sagala (2013) and Darma, strategy means a comprehensive and interactive plan that can be used as a guide to work, fight and act to win the competition. In essence,strategy is impractical because it is still a plan or big picture. Even strategies are designed to achieve predetermined goals. If there is no goal to be achieved, then no strategy will be developed (Novi & Ni Nyoman, 2020).

HR Competency Improvement Strategy
Strategy is the action plan that guides management and HR decisions to realize them. In addition, the strategy also affects the life of the company/organization in the long term (Lenda et al., 2021). Strategy means a plan in which there is a comprehensive and interactive way that is used as a guide to work, fight and act to win the competition (Utomo & Darma, 2020). The strategy to increase HR competence is one of the efforts that must be made in order to create quality human resources, have the ability to utilize, develop and master science and technology. The strategy of increasing the competence of human resources in order to meet the challenges of increasing development that is increasingly rapid, efficient and productive, needs to be carried out continuously, so as to make productive resources (Ajabar, 2020).
In terms of improving the competence of human resources, it can be done through training and education (Rahayu & Utama, 2022). Human resources (HR) are the most important element of a company/organization compared to other elements such as capital, technology, and money because humans themselves control these factors (Muryani, 2022).
An effective company/organization must be able to find, utilize, maintain and develop its human resources talent in order to achieve the desired goals (Marwansyah, 2012).
Competent human resources determine the success of a company (Rachman, 2019). The company will progress and develop rapidly with highly competent human resources. In the condition of an increasingly educated society, an active society will be born as a signal that a civil society is increasingly active.
Competence has a role that is needed by the company so that it can develop according to the times. It is necessary to formulate more specific competencies depending on the field of HR tasks and work (Hayati et al., nd, 2021). Talking about strategy, of course, involves actions or activities carried out by employees to be able to improve their competence. The strategy to increase the competence of human resources in all fields is one of the crucial issues carried out to develop quality human resources so that they can utilize, develop and master technology.  (Sabuhari & Ruslan Thursday, 2018). Competence is a set of experience, knowledge, abilities and attitudes needed during life to perform a task or job effectively (Dhamayantie & Fauzan, 2017). Competence is various things related to the ability, insight/knowledge and behavior that become a reference for employees to fulfill their responsibilities for the work they do.

Competency Characteristics
Economic growth has the most important part, namely, skills and knowledge which are the most important determinants of human capital (Novi & Ni Nyoman, 2020).
Knowledge is more easily recognized in matching a person to his job, this is a visible competence. Meanwhile, only some skills can look like artificial insemination and skills are hidden competencies that can improve performance (Fatmah, 2017). Therefore, companies need to develop their capabilities systematically There are two perspectives that describe competence.The first perspective, competence is likened to the company's knowledge, expertise and skills that are able to give the company an advantage over the competition from an organizational perspective. In this case, the ability to have a comprehensive concentration in an institution/company. Traits are physical characteristics and consistent responses to conditions or information; c) Self-concept includes attitudes, values, and self-image that is built by a person; d) Knowledge is information that a person has in a particular field. It is a complex ability; e) Skill/dexterity is the ability to perform certain physical or mental tasks.

Category of Human Resources Competence
The most important company asset for an institution/company is HR (Human Resources). Other assets cannot be run properly without HR intervention (Agustina et al., 2021). HR is a human being employed in an institution or company as a mover, thinker and planner to achieve organizational goals (Sulistiyowati & Hakim, 2021).
Institutions/companies of course select HR based on certain categories such as

Definition of Interest
Interest is very decisive in action/behavior (Tuti Anggraini, 2020). Interest is a state of liking and attachment to something for someone's desire (Amalia & Diana, 2020).
Understanding interest is a psychological symptom of focusing attention on an object because of a sense of pleasure (Nasution, 2015). It is a factor that motivates oneself to do something. Interest will influence the decision of human attitude, the tendency of human behavior is the result of interest (Mardiyani et al., 2022). According to Dayshandi (2015), interest is the recognition of activities that arouse curiosity and interest. Basically, involves active cognitive and emotional engagement (Candraning & Muhammad, 2017). It is a person's drive or desire for a particular object.

Factors Affecting the Awakening of Interest
According to Crow in Masruroh (2015) in Abdul Rahman Saleh's book, there are three influencing factors, including the following: a) The push factor from within. This factor refers to the various internal needs of the individual itself which are related to physical drives, motives, defenses against hunger, pain, fear, curiosity, namely interest in doing research and so on; b) Social motive factor. This factor is related to self-adaptation to the environment so that it can be accepted and recognized by the environment or its activities as well as social needs to be fulfilled, such as work, gaining status, attention and appreciation; Emotional or feeling factors. This factor involves a person's emotional

Definition of Career
A career is an idea that becomes a reason to keep moving up the line of work that is desired by the individual. Moving up means being entitled to a higher income, as well as getting a greater status, achievement and power. Based on the above understanding, career means a series of work experiences that are held by someone during the course of a person's life that is continuous, peaceful and hopes for success, giving rise to certain actions (Agustini et al., 2020).
To be able to advance, someone will try to develop his career. Career development includes career planning and career management. Career planning is a process when an employee identifies his career goals and then chooses actions to achieve them. Career management is a process carried out by institutions/companies to select, evaluate, assign, and develop human resources and has the aim of providing competent employees to meet future needs (Shaputra & Hendriani, 2015).
There are several factors that influence a person's career development in an institution/company, namely (Bahri & Nisa, 2017): a) Employee relations with the organization; b) Employee personnel; c) External factors; d) Politicking within the organization/company; e) Reward system.

Islamic Financial Institutions
Sharia financial institutions are institutions that are managed in accordance with sharia principles that create legal financial products and obtain a business license as a sharia financial institution (Khaidir & Rahmatullah, 2021). In another sense, Islamic financial institutions are institutions or institutions whose wealth is mainly in the form of financial assets and non-financial assets or real assets based on the sharia concept (Rodoni, 2008 ), an institution that has a license to regulate and supervise commercial banks and regional loans; b) Ministry of Finance, the institution authorized to regulate and supervise financial institutions; c) Office of the Minister of Cooperatives, the institution that has the authority to regulate and supervise cooperatives.

RESEARCH METHOD
The research method is defined as a scientific way to obtain data with a predetermined purpose. The scientific method is a research activity based on scientific characteristics, namely rational, empirical, and systematic (Adeyani, 2021). Rational means that activities are carried out in ways that are acceptable to reason and can reach human reason. Empirical means that some of the ways that can be observed with the human senses.
Systematic is a research activity that applies certain steps that are logical in nature. Based on the description above, it can be concluded that the research is valid, rational, empirical (observable) and systematic data. Valid shows the level of accuracy between the data that actually occurs on the object and the data that the researcher has collected.
The study uses a qualitative approach with descriptive analysis method. A qualitative approach is an approach aimed at obtaining a comprehensive explanation of a phenomenon defined as a subject by confirming the relationship between variables through inductive (empirical) reasoning (Novi & Ni Nyoman, 2020). Qualitative descriptive analysis method is a research method carried out to describe the current process or event that is used as the object of research, then the data or information is analyzed so that a problem solving is obtained. Qualitative research is data collection in a natural setting, using natural methods, and carried out by naturally interested researchers (Lexy J, 2007).
The location of this research was carried out in the Islamic Banking S1 Study Program, Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business (FEBI), Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara (UIN SU). The research uses primary data and secondary data. Primary data were obtained from interviews conducted by researchers with Islamic Banking students at FEBI UIN SU 2018, totaling ten students, while secondary data was obtained

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In Talking about a career, one will consider the job market. interest in a career in Islamic financial institutions. Consideration of a high job market will result in student interest in a career in this field will also increase, as well as low labor market considerations will result in student interest in a career in Islamic financial institutions will decrease. Furthermore, the thing that makes informants interested in pursuing a career in Islamic financial institutions is the financial rewards/salaries available at the institution. the informant believes that a fast salary increases, bonuses for overtime and achievement, and guarantees in the future will be easy to obtain if a career in Islamic financial institutions. Financial awards/salaries are the reason for the informants to have a career at the institution because it will support their daily lives. The greater the student's knowledge of financial rewards or salaries obtained at Islamic financial institutions, the more students are interested.
The work environment is also the reason for the informant (Islamic banking student FEBI UIN SU) to be interested in a career in Islamic financial institutions. According to informants in Islamic financial institutions have applied the principles of Islamic law in accordance with the knowledge, they get in lectures. In addition, because the work atmosphere is more religious and prioritizes an attitude of trust and honesty in their work, the conditions/atmosphere that exist in Islamic financial institutions can have an impact on HR performanceso that the balance between work and worship is in line. This became the student's interest because they wanted to participate in the development of the Islamic economy. Human resources of Islamic financial institutions must be human resources who understand and who in fact are in the field of economics and Islamic banking.
According to the informant, working in a sharia financial institution provides a forum for deeper learning of Islam and becomes a forum for da'wah for fellow co-workers and in the community. Students who have good religiosity will choose jobs that are in accordance with the religiosity they experience. Spirituality affects the operations of Islamic financial institutions, because it uses principles that are in accordance with Islamic sharia. According to (Nasir, 2020), there are five aspects/dimensions of religiosity, two of which are self-actualization and religion. It can be used as a solution for Islamic financial

CONCLUSION
Based on the results of the analysis of students' interest in a career in Islamic financial institutions above, it can be concluded that it is very important for universities that have Islamic economics and banking study programs to create their own strategies to improve the competence of their students in order to produce sharia graduates who are ready to compete with conventional human resources in the world of work. and produce graduates that match the needs of the future job market.
As an effort to increase student interest in working at Islamic financial institutions, it can be done by providing clear information to students about the benefits and career opportunities in Islamic financial institutions, especially the promotion of positions, salary/financial, work environment that is in accordance with Islamic law and can improve Islam. self. HR, which in fact is a graduate of Islamic banking conceptually and in practice, already understands the principles of sharia that exist in Islamic financial institutions because they have been studied during lectures. As educated human beings, students are relatively quick to understand and have access to the goodness of Islamic economics compared to other communities. It can encourage the practice of Islamic economics and Islamic banking to also increase in the midst of society.
There are several things that researchers expect from the results of this study. First, students are expected to disseminate information and education to the public regarding the prohibition of usury continuously, which is not only limited to banking practices, but also in daily life. Second, the higher education community is expected to continue to implement programs that can improve student knowledge and experience, plan the right curriculum and optimize teaching and learning activities that meet the requirements of the world of work because to make the world of Islamic banking strong, one of them must have competent human resources.