Search Results for
"Vocational education"

Transitions are significant turning points in young people’s lives as they enter adulthood. However, for learners with an intellectual disability (ID), this transition comes with effort. To identify and clarify current practices that influence school-to-work transition for learners with mild ID, the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) were followed in conducting this scoping review. A 5-step process was followed: the research question was identified; related studies were identified through an electronic grey literature search and databases; studies were selected; the data were charted; and lastly the findings were organised, summarised and reported on. Thirty-one (n = 31) articles published between 2009 and 2021 were included in this review. The current practices associated with school-to-work transition were learnerships or internships, vocational training, transition planning, collaboration effort, independent living skills training, family involvement, self-determination, social skills training, career counselling, and employers’ involvement. School-to-work transition for learners with mild ID is a complex, multifaceted process. These practices are necessary to support effective transition across life stages. © 2025, South African Journal Of education. All rights reserved.

Decades of decline in skilled trade labour require an urgency of addressing this trend. This study investigates Michigan's skilled construction labourer (SCLs) shortage through three overarching questions: what factors influence and cause this shortage; how are stakeholders responding; and what innovative solutions could reverse this trajectory. A review of the literature revealed recruitment difficulties due economic volatility, skill deficiencies, and perceived lack of advancement. Based on these factors and others, two surveys were conducted to study opinions of construction managers and skilled trade labourers mostly in Southeast Michigan by analysing demographics across different categories using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results not only corroborated the importance of vocational training but also added to the body of knowledge details that were not previously investigated. The results indicate that exposure to vocational education at high school increased the likelihood of seeking vocational training before joining the industry from 2.6% to 29%, and internships played a major role in training union workers. However, project managers (PMs) preferred recruiting workers from internships and on-the-job training over trade schools and unions. The young workers had mixed expectations of remaining in the industry until retirement compared to those over 40 years of age. The methodology utilised in this study can help the construction industry in the United States and elsewhere to identify areas of improvement to attract more workers into the field, and the findings of this study are particularly useful to construction companies in Michigan in determining where they need to focus their efforts to improve training and recruitment. © 2025 Jennifer Russell et al., published by Sciendo.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of contemporary perspectives, policies, and practices relating to reported vocational education and training (VET) teacher recruitment and retention challenges, with a particular focus on England and Australia. Design/methodology/approach: This position piece discusses the topic from a transnational perspective by reviewing the relevant literature and examining the impact of policies and practices in England and Australia. Findings: The paper finds that there is a paucity of empirical research relating to VET teacher shortages, but that globally, experience in the sector suggests there are challenges in recruiting and retaining the qualified VET teaching workforce required to address current and future training needs. It recommends that further research is undertaken with an international approach to better understand the problem from the perspective of VET teachers, leaders, and education institutions, and to identify potential solutions. Research limitations/implications: The paper does not report on empirical research but suggests that further studies are required to better understand the problem and identify potential solutions based on the respective socioeconomic, demographic, and policy contexts. Originality/value: While there are studies examining VET and VET teaching from the perspectives of quality, reputation, and esteem, few examine the issue and impact of VET teacher shortages, or the challenges of VET teacher recruitment and retention in the contemporary and comparable contexts of Australia and England. © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.

This study examined the effect of entrepreneurial personality traits on entrepreneurial mentoring and entrepreneurial potential among vocational students in Malaysia. vocational colleges offer technical and vocational education, emphasizing the teaching of entrepreneurial competencies through entrepreneurial education and training to prepare modern employees and innovative future entrepreneurs for the nation. The study used a stratified random sampling and collected 270 responses. The findings of the analysis, using structural equation modeling, indicated that entrepreneurial personality traits such as alertness, locus of control, innovativeness, and need for achievements significantly affect entrepreneurial potential. The finding also confirmed that entrepreneurial mentoring significantly affects the entrepreneurial potential of TVET students. Entrepreneurial mentoring proved to be an essential link that mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial personality traits and entrepreneurial potential. The interaction between mentors and students has been proven to be an effective tool in cultivating entrepreneurial potential. This study first provides insights into how teachers’ entrepreneurial mentoring affects students’ interest, especially in entrepreneurship. vocational students are equipped with solid technical skills, and their strengths in exploring entrepreneurship align with the latest trends in service businesses. The government, vocational colleges, and industries should collaborate to enhance entrepreneurial alertness, innovativeness, and the need for achievements and locus control to facilitate students’ interest in entrepreneurship. Training and coaching should also be provided to teachers to enhance their skills as entrepreneurial mentors. This model offers vocational colleges opportunities to produce more high-quality and skillful entrepreneurs for a sustainable society and economy. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.

This study investigates the role of perceived support from teachers, peers, and parents in fostering school belonging among vocational high school students. A total of 567 students participated in this research. Data were analysed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The results indicate that perceived teacher emotional support, perceived teacher instrumental support, and perceived parental emotional support significantly predict students’ sense of school belonging. Among these, only perceived teacher emotional support demonstrated a substantive impact, albeit with a small effect size. These findings differ from those of prior studies, suggesting the need for further research that explores how variations in the conceptualization of school belonging and sample characteristics may influence the results. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

This chapter describes and discusses the cultural heritage strategies employed by ‘Sela for Training and Protection of Heritage’, a non-profit organisation based in Petra (Jordan), which was founded in 2015. Sela aims to provide protection and preservation of cultural heritage sites across Jordan by promoting the active engagement of local communities and developing the local tourism sector. Sela adopts a range of initiatives including the introduction of training programmes, the installation of information panels (site presentation) and the development of educational programmes and activities for children and summer and winter camps where children get the opportunity to perform a heritage-themed play at selected archaeological sites. This chapter also explores Sela’s partnership with other organisations such as Al-Raqeem, a private organisation, which offers job vocational training in different fields of cultural resource management (CRM) and internship programmes for university students. Two initiatives have been developed by Al-Raqeem to promote Jordanian archaeology-Entimaa’, which aims to develop community heritage businesses and thereby support local communities, and ‘Once Upon a Taste…’, a catering service, which offers handmade Jordanian food. © 2025 selection and editorial matter, Steven Mithen, Mubariz Ahmed Rabbani and Maria Rabbani; individual chapters, the contributors.

This study focuses on the practical teaching mode of vocational education under the background of Internet Plus. The traditional model has some problems, such as lack of resources, single method, weak teachers and one-sided evaluation. The internet has brought many positive effects on practical teaching, such as expanding resources, providing enterprise cases, virtual experiments and online courses. In view of the traditional disadvantages and new demands, this paper puts forward innovative strategies such as building a multifunctional teaching platform, using diverse teaching methods, strengthening the construction of teachers and improving the evaluation system. Then through empirical analysis, the new teaching mode significantly improves students' practical, collaborative and innovative abilities, and the employment counterpart rate and salary are improved, which strongly proves its reform value and provides reference for the development of practical teaching in vocational education. © 2025 IGI Global. All rights reserved.

There is a clear knowledge gap in the area of vocational education and training (VET) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) literature. This study aims to review systematically the literature review in VET in the UAE over the last 25 years. This research employed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses methodology to determine the appropriate inclusion of studies in the literature review. The results are derived from an analysis of 35 studies conducted between 1999 and 2024, primarily focused on Emiratization and the importance of innovative technology to be incorporated in the VET process. Additionally, this research has identified a set of recurring challenges and future opportunities for VET in the UAE. This research makes a significant contribution to the literature on sustainable development in the UAE by highlighting the crucial role of VET in fostering human capital development and economic growth. Due to the scarcity of studies in the UAE, the findings of this study are constrained. However, this limitation opens up new opportunities for researchers and investigators to delve into and examine the field of VET in the UAE. © 2025 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.

This study investigates the role of soft skills, particularly self-discipline, communication skills, interpersonal relationships and the over-optimism, in the post-college transitions of HVET students in China. The primary objective was to explore how these competencies influence students’ ability to navigate employment and further education trajectories. The research adopted a longitudinal qualitative methodology, including interviews during 15 months with 26 HVET graduates who took different post-college pathways: the school-to-work transition and the college-to-university transition. Data were collected through follow-up semi-structured interviews to capture participants’ lived experiences, challenges, and strategies in managing interpersonal relationships, setting post-college goals, and adapting to new environments. The study highlighted the pivotal role of soft skills, particularly self-discipline and emotional intelligence, in facilitating HVET students’ post-college transitions. Self-discipline supported effective goal-setting and perseverance, while Emotional Intelligence (EI) fostered better communication and conflict resolution, easing workplace integration. Conversely, low self-regulation and over-optimism led to unrealistic expectations, contributing to challenges during the transition. The findings suggest that enhancing soft skills training, with a focus on self-regulation and emotional management, is crucial for improving transition outcomes and helping students navigate the complexities of entering the workforce. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Background: The maritime industry’s increasing emphasis on holistic well-being and environmental responsibility necessitates a reevaluation of traditional training methods. This research evaluates maritime education program effectiveness in preparing cadets for industry demands, uniquely integrating health and sustainability with vocational competencies. This study aimed to evaluate the adequacy of current maritime education in preparing cadets for the physical, mental, and vocational demands of seafaring, and to identify methods for better integrating health and sustainability into the curriculum. Methods: This qualitative study explored cadet preparedness in maritime education, focusing on health, sustainability, and vocational competencies. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 30 participants, including maritime experts, lecturers, and graduates, selected for their diverse perspectives. Classroom and training observations supplemented interview data, providing a holistic view of current practices. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes related to competency development and sustainability, allowing for cross-group comparisons. Finally, narrative synthesis integrated findings into a cohesive understanding of how maritime education can better prepare future seafarers. This multi-method approach ensured a comprehensive and triangulated dataset, enhancing the robustness of the research findings. Results: The results indicate that current programs effectively prepare cadets for physical and vocational challenges, and sustainability practices are incorporated. However, there is a need for enhanced mental health support and deeper integration of contemporary sustainability practices. Conclusions: To ensure a resilient and sustainable workforce in the evolving maritime industry, it is crucial to refine maritime education by balancing physical, mental, and vocational competencies with comprehensive sustainability training. © 2025, Udayana University. All rights reserved.