Issue 22

Skills for Industry: The Role of Vocational Skills Development in the Context of Industrial Transformation

Editorial Issue 22: Skills for Industry: The Role of Vocational Skills Development in the Context of Industrial Transformation

by Markus Maurer, Stephanie Matseleng Allais, Bounseng Khammounty, Seyhah Ven

With the ever-evolving landscape of industry and technological advancements, the demand for a skilled workforce has become paramount. However, in many countries, especially in the global South, TVET plays a minor role in this regard: Large parts of the employees in industry often lack vocational qualifications, so that skills development takes place primarily on-the-job – while public TVET in particular is considered to be of little relevance. Against this backdrop, this Special Issue looks in particular at how TVET is linked to very different industries (e.g. garments, electronics) in different countries. In conclusion, the authors contribute to highlighting best practice examples from their respective countries by also highlighting the relevance of TVET research and the role of teachers and trainers for ensuring that TVET can contribute to overall economic and social development.

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About TVET@Asia

TVET@Asia is an open content online journal for scientists and practitioners in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Vocational Teacher Education (VTE) in the East and Southeast- Asian region.

Its main purpose is to provide access to peer reviewed papers and thus to enhance the dissemination of relevant content and the initiation of open discussions within the TVET community.

Learn more about TVET@Asia

The Impact of Formal and Non-Formal Training Programs in Vietnam’s Manufacturing Sector

by Vi Hoang Dang, Thanh Thuy Nguyen

The article discusses the uptake of formal and non-formal training programs in Vietnam’s manufacturing sector and explores company and production managers’ perception of the programs. The study is based on a survey of 162 companies in the electronics, food and beverage, and garment industries, and in-depth interviews with a sub-selection of these companies. Findings indicate a substantial reliance on and appreciation for in-employment training, evident through high uptake rates. Non-formal training is recognized for its perceived efficacy in addressing current industry-specific skill gaps and also ensuring future competitiveness in a sector that is constantly evolving. Conversely, formal TVET programs, while also viewed positively, garner less enthusiasm, particularly for lower-level positions. The underdevelopment of the formal TVET system necessitates a shift towards non-formal and informal training, often provided by technology-transferring entities, creating a competitive advantage over traditional TVET providers. Despite this, the study argues for the complementary roles of formal and non-formal training, emphasizing the need for the formal TVET system to incorporate elements that enhance its labor-market relevance.

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Skill formation of female workers in the garment industry: The case of Bangladesh

by Sheikh Shahana Shimu

This study examines the inclusiveness and efficiency of the skills formation regime in the Bangladeshi garment industry in enhancing women’s participation and ensuring their relative position in the industry. It is based on an analysis of survey data from 100 garment companies, case studies of nine selected companies, and interviews with representatives from various training institutes, government agencies, industrial and labor associations. The study contributes to the literature on the social impact of vocational education and training (VET) by evaluating the link between women’s participation in different types of skills development and their relative positions in the labor market. On the one hand, the article points to the underrepresentation of women in formal and non-formal VET programs catering to the garment industry, both at the basic skill level as well as at the technician and supervisory level.

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Co-Curriculum Development and Instructional Strategies for Nurturing Content-Creation Skills for the Creative Industry

by Kara Chan, Maggie Fung, Mandy Tse, Jasmine Zhang, Justin Lau | Issue 22

Young people need creativity and capabilities to thrive in this fast-changing working environment. An Applied Learning course titled Multimedia Storytelling was launched in 2022 to prepare secondary school students to enter vocational education and training programs in the creative media industry. A curriculum team designed and implemented a series of three skills-training co-curricular activities for the first cohort of students. These activities were organized along the lines of Kolb’s experiential learning model to emphasize mutual reinforcement of concrete experience and abstract conceptualization. Participants practised individual and team-based tasks that were commonly found in a creative media company.

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The Impact of TVET on Growth and Transformation in the Manufacturing Industries in Lao PDR

by Keonakhone Khounvilay, Santiphap Meunmany, Bounseng Khammounty, Michael Morlok | Issue 22

This study examines skills shortages as well as growth and transformation in the manufacturing industry in Lao PDR and explores training preferences of employers in the sector. The research draws on a survey of 144 formal sector companies, focusing on the Garment, and Food & Beverage industries. The results reveal that both industries have undergone significant growth and transformation. The Food & Beverage sector has witnessed remarkable expansion, while the Garment industry has demonstrated resilience and adaptability. Although some skills shortages exist, particularly in the Food & Beverage industry, the study finds surprisingly few challenges in filling positions despite rapid economic growth. Manufacturing companies prioritize hands-on skills and experience over formal education when hiring.

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Technical-Vocational Education and Training: A Way Forward to Developing Skills for Tourism Sector in the Twenty-first Century

by Azareel A. Sumaya, Ruth A. Ortega-Dela Cruz | Issue 22

This study aims to provide a descriptive overview of the technical vocational education and training (TVET) system and discuss challenges it faces in developing skills for the tourism sector in the Philippines. A combination of secondary data analysis together with focus group discussions and key informant interviews of the trainers and graduates were employed for it. Findings showed that the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Women’s Center conforms to the national goals of TESDA, but objectives are limited to core competencies only. The Women’s Center programs employ a modified competency-based training approach with uniquely designed curricula that includes more hours, various modes of learning and methods of training. The challenges encountered were the time-consuming process of realigning instruction and assessment to the twenty-first-century skills, and in maintaining a conducive learning environment. By addressing these challenges, TVET can play a pivotal role in shaping a competent workforce for the future of tourism.

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Kampus Merdeka: Indonesia’s Once-in-a-generation Response to Educational Reform

by Adam Voak, Abdullah Helmy, Brian Fairman, Anggi Afriansyah

Indonesia has been grappling with complex economic and cultural interdependencies that have, for many generations, seriously hampered its economic and social growth. This unfortunate situation has been brought about by the largely colonially imposed Further Education Framework, which is now widely regarded as being culturally unfit for purpose. Government records show that there have been many failed attempts to redress this issue, but these many well-intentioned International aid educational interventions have been unable to engage with what seems, at times, to be an insurmountable plethora of challenges. A new vision of emancipated learning, known as Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM), is aimed at crafting a more de-centralised, localised and industry-based response to skills development in Indonesia. However, it must be noted that MBKM’s acceptance has not been universal, with many stakeholders questioning the policy’s implementation, motives and ongoing sustainability. This paper aims to closely analyse how MBKM has been accepted up to this point and examine its current impact across the Indonesian FET sector. It is anticipated that this analysis will allow a better understanding of the impacts of the implementation of MBKM, and clearly define the potential challenges and opportunities which will be faced by educational institutions as they go about implementing this radically different policy initiative.

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Collaboration in the Cambodian TVET sector: Why does it matter?

by Naron Veung

The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has promoted collaboration between TVET institutions and the private sector for better skills provision. However, there is still scepticism about collaboration between both parties. This article employs qualitative data to investigate different forms and degrees of collaboration between training providers and companies. It also examines the challenges within collaboration. The findings reveal various forms of collaboration between training providers and companies. Most collaborations involve student internships, job announcement dissemination, curriculum development, consultative meetings, and workplace visits.

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Enhancing Industry Experience of TVET Teachers: An Analysis of the Case of Lao PDR with a Focus on Teachers Catering to the Garments, Food Processing and Electronics Industries

by Bounseng Khammounty, Markus Maurer, Somphavanh Khamsang | Issue 22

It is generally recognized that TVET teachers are better suited to impart relevant professional competencies if they themselves have extensive experience in the world of work (e.g., in industry or the trades). In many parts of the world, however, this is not the case, not least because many teachers go straight into teaching after an academic education. For this reason, policy makers have tried to integrate the acquisition of professional experience into the training of TVET teachers. The following article discusses this topic using the example of Lao PDR, in particular through an assessment of current levels of industry experience of TVET teachers in Lao PDR. The study used mixed methods: a quantitative survey (n = 74) and qualitative semi-structured interviews (n = 9). The article finds that the main reason for lack of industry experience amongst TVET teachers is poor cooperation between training providers and industrial enterprises. The article proposes ways to improve cooperation, so that teachers gain more experience in industry as part of their professional development.

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