Most countries in Southeast Asia are positioning Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the mainstream of education systems and setting it as a priority in their education agenda in view of the fact that this type of education plays an important role in the socio-economic development of a nation. New national and regional initiatives in TVET have been created in response to various changes in social, political, and technological landscapes. This paper intends to map out salient TVET initiatives especially those that have the potential to have a greater impact not only on the individual country but also on the whole region or beyond. Some of the selected initiatives include addressing TVET quality and qualification frameworks. At a national level, all countries are raising the bar to benchmark their TVET quality. Quality assurance mechanisms via proper guidelines and accreditation have been established in most countries.

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Most countries in Southeast Asia are now positioning technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the mainstream of education system thus becoming a priority in their education agenda to support the socio-economic development of the nation (SEAMEO VOCTECH 2012). TVET teachers and instructors are still the pressing issue due to a lack of quality and quantity in most countries. Most TVET teachers are recruited from fresh graduates of vocational and technical colleges and universities, thus lacking industrial experiences. This paper focuses on issues around the preparation of TVET teachers based on a meta-analysis of nine country reports presented during SEAMEO VOCTECH’s Expert meeting in collaboration with UNESCO UNEVOC in Thailand in December 2012 and updated from the country reports of training participants during fiscal year 2013/2014, and SEAMEO VOCTECH’s sharing sessions with the 2014 Governing Board Meeting.

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In Brunei Darussalam, transferable skills are called life skills (previously known as common skills). These skills have been integrated in the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system for more than 12 years. This article explains the status of their implementation (perception among stakeholders and the approach taken to integrating these skills in teaching and learning) based on document analysis and interviews with 25 administrators, teachers, curriculum developers, government officials and experts. The interviews explored respondents’ involvement in, and experience of, integrating transferable skills in TVET according to their respective roles. Using content analysis, this article highlights key findings which respond to research questions on the current status of implementation, remaining issues and challenges, and areas for improvement in the field of transferable skills.

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In anticipation of the ASEAN Integration, especially regarding the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2015 it is clear that many aspects have to be considered and integrated in technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Four major thrusts under AEC include a single market and production base, a highly competitive economic region, a region of equitable economic development, and a region fully integrated into the global economy (ASEAN Secretariat 2010). These thrusts encourage country members to collaborate in several areas. The areas that link closely to TVET, among others, are human resources development and capacity building, recognition of professional qualifications, and the integration of industries across the region to promote regional sourcing. SEAMEO VOCTECH as a regional centre for TVET in Southeast Asia plays an active role in addressing the three mentioned areas.

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