Search Results for
"Vocational education"

The global demand for skilled workers, particularly in digital sectors, is projected to increase significantly, with an estimated 92 million digital jobs expected by 2030, according to the World Economic Forum. This trend presents a unique opportunity for countries like the Philippines to enhance their Technical and vocational education and Training (TVET) systems to meet evolving global labour market needs. Hence, this study endeavoured the development of a comprehensive, research-based curriculum model for the Bachelor of Technical-vocational Teacher education (BTVTEd) program in the Philippines. Using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach, the research examined current challenges, and the extent of knowledge, experiences, and practices within the BTVTEd curriculum by gathering insights from experts in universities across the country. The findings reveal that the main challenges identified by respondents are related to curriculum and program design, particularly in adapting to industry demands. However, issues related to resources and facilities were also highlighted as central concerns. The study recommends adding key courses like research, innovation, and sustainability, strengthening core areas, and identifying strategies to enhance the BTVTED program. Based on these findings, a new curriculum model is proposed, aimed at strengthening the current technical education program. The research concludes that aligning the curriculum with industry needs, adding emerging fields, and strengthening pedagogy can greatly improve TVET quality and graduate employability. The study suggests further exploration on how universities balance the use of quality assurance practices in curriculum delivery. The results provide valuable insights for the continued development of technical vocational teacher education in the Philippines through comprehensive quality assurance. © 2025, Penerbit UTHM. All rights reserved.

vocational education in Indonesia still faces challenges, especially regarding limited teacher access to technical competency training due to industry needs. This study aims to map and analyze the access of vocational High School (SMK) teachers to technical training in 10 areas of expertise in West Java. The method used is quantitative descriptive with a survey of 356 productive teachers from a population of 3,254. Measurement of technical competency refers to the Indonesian National Qualification Framework (KKNI) Level IV Certification Scheme. The study results show that teacher access to training is still low, with only 32.4% of 130 competency units accessed. Training organized by the government through the Center for the Development of vocational education Quality Assurance (BBPPMPV) has only been accessed by 19.4% of teachers, while 13% accessed training independently. Digital competency is the skill with the lowest achievement in all areas of expertise. This low access to training impacts the skills gap between teachers and industry needs, which has implications for the readiness of SMK graduates to face the world of work. These findings emphasize the need for an upskilling model based on industry needs involving government, industry, and training institutions. Increasing the frequency and quality of training can be done through industry-based schemes, digital platforms, and blended learning. In addition, strategic policies that ensure equal access to training for teachers in various regions are important to improve the quality of vocational education. This step is expected to improve the skills of productive vocational school teachers so that they are more relevant to technological developments and industry demands. © 2025, Penerbit UTHM. All rights reserved.

Students in vocational and Technical education (VTE) often struggle to connect theoretical knowledge with practical applications, leading to low academic motivation. Academic motivation is essential in shaping students’ future careers. Students’ passion and motivation while pursuing their studies may fade over time. Therefore, a strategy is needed to cultivate academic motivation and hone their passion for learning. Relating theory to practice in construction course is crucial to prepare students to meet industry needs. One of the strategies is implementing a Project-Based Learning (PBL) model such as Design-Build-Test (DBT) activities in this study involving a purposive sampling of Higher National Technical education Certificate students from the Institute of Brunei Technical education. This action research is aimed to evaluate the impact of implementing DBT projects on the students’ academic motivation. A mixed-method data collection technique was employed to examine students’ motivation levels and learning experiences before and after intervention: Academic Motivation Scale, field observations, semi-structured interviews, and lesson video recordings. Quantitative and qualitative data analyses of changes in academic motivation, common patterns of actions and behaviour via field observation checklists, and thematic analysis of students’ perceptions towards the implemented DBT project were carried out. Results from the analyses showed substantial improvements in students’ academic motivation through students’ collaboration in the DBT project, experiential learning, and opportunities it offered to students in relating theory and practice in construction field. The DBT projects strengthen connection between theoretical knowledge and practical applications, link gaps between conceptual understanding and competency skills in the students’ learning. The implication of this research findings showed the relevance of DBT projects in fostering experiential learning, and also provided evidence-based strategies for enhancing academic motivation, and useful contribution for improving curriculum design in construction programme, and career preparation to meet industry needs. © 2025, Penerbit UTHM. All rights reserved.

The increasing demand for 21st-century skills in the workforce places new expectations on educators, including TVET lecturers, who play a critical role in preparing students for evolving industry needs. This study explored the awareness and understanding of 21st-century skills among TVET lecturers and examined how this awareness influences their teaching practices. A mixed-methods approach was employed, incorporating surveys, interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Results indicate that while lecturers are aware of critical skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, their practical application in teaching practices varies due to challenges such as curriculum rigidity, lack of resources, and insufficient professional development opportunities. The study concludes with strategic recommendations for professional development and curriculum adjustments necessary to foster 21st-century skills among lecturers. © 2025, Penerbit UTHM. All rights reserved.

Enhancing English language skills in vocational High Schools (SMK) is crucial for preparing students to meet the demands of globalization and the workforce. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of communication-based learning methods in comparison to lecture, project, and game-based methods in improving students' scores on the English Proficiency Test (EPT). The research employs a quasi-experimental design with a post-test only approach, involving 53 students divided into four groups according to the learning methods applied. Data were collected through the EPT, and data analysis was conducted using One-Way ANOVA and Tukey's Post Hoc test. The findings indicate that the communication-based learning method is significantly more effective in enhancing EPT scores than the other methods, achieving the highest average score of 389.29. Additionally, both project-based and game-based methods also demonstrated significant improvements compared to the lecture method. The conclusion of this study underscores the importance of innovation in education, advocating for the integration of methods that combine communication, play, and technology. A technology-assisted edutainment Co-Trainers program is recommended as an innovative solution to create an interactive and effective learning environment, equipping students to face an increasingly competitive job market. © 2025 Sciedu Press. All rights reserved.

Developing a sufficiently skilled and large workforce in the skilled trades constitutes a crucial bottleneck for implementing low-carbon transitions globally. However, research on strategies to increase apprentice numbers in vocational education and training (VET) in these Climate Crafts remains limited. Here, we examine the appeal of Climate Crafts among German adolescents. Grounded in the Social Cognitive Career Theory, the ordinal logistic regression results of a survey experiment (N = 1280) reveal that low degrees of practical self-efficacy, perceived approval from parents and peers, and limited knowledge about the skilled trades deter adolescents from apprenticeships in the Climate Crafts. Additionally, the sector remains an unattractive field for women and adolescents with or aspiring to A-levels. The latter regard Climate Crafts as generally attractive but personally ill-fitted occupations indicating that strategies targeting the perceived personal job fit for high-school students could be effective in increasing application numbers from this group. Moreover, highlighting earning opportunities was associated with an increase in attractiveness in this sample. Our results indicate a disconnection from manual labour in academised societies and signpost a priority agenda for practice and policymaking. Increasing practical learning in schools, facilitating social mixing between academics and tradespeople, and raising awareness about the Climate Crafts could foster re-connection. Trusted ‘influencers’ could increase the social prestige of these professions through public communication. Craft actors need to adapt VET to the preferences of the young generations and policymakers need to equip VET with similar resources as academic education. © 2025 The Authors