Vocation, Technology & Education

Balancing power in vocational education: Micro foundations for Acemoglu and Robinson's state-society heuristic

Johannes Kellner, Andre Habisch , Lucas Trutwin — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0800

Acemoglu and Robinson argue that a balance between State and Civil Society ("narrow corridor") is crucial for achieving both long-term civil liberty and effective government institutions. Although Acemoglu and Robinson present ample historical evidence for their thesis, they do not provide extensive micro-foundations for it. This paper aims to close that theoretical gap. We claim that the organizational structures within the Central European "dual system" of vocational education and training (dual VET) provide a compelling practical example of a power-balancing mechanisms. Our institutional economic analysis identifies four principles that balance power between the government and private firms within the dual system. This delicate balance of power facilitated the development of public training schemes, ultimately leading to one of the most stable and effective VET systems in the world.

Skills development in Australian firms: The role of apprenticeships and traineeships

Andrew Smith — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0800

This paper investigates the role of apprenticeships and traineeships in meeting the skills requirements of some employers and their broader interactions with the vocational education and training (VET) and higher education systems in the State of Victoria in Australia. It is based on a broader study of how Victorian employers determine their skills requirements and how they meet those needs. The research involved qualitative case studies of five Victorian employers. It concludes that there is considerable scope for the further development of apprenticeships and traineeships as part of employer responses to changing skills needs.

Women and apprenticeships: An Australian perspective

Erica Smith — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0800

The paper sets out to provide evidence towards explaining the disadvantaged position of women in apprenticeships in Australia. Women form only about one-third of apprenticeship commencements and are disproportionately concentrated in occupations which have proved vulnerable to policy changes, due to the influence of certain stakeholder groups. Despite well-meaning efforts, women have been reluctant to enter the "traditional trade" occupations. The paper provides evidence which explains the policy shifts which firstly extended the system to feminized occupations, and then disadvantaged those occupations. It proposes a new insight, based on an historical precedent, into recently renewed attempts to attract women into masculinized trade occupations. This is a major question which cannot be answered in one paper, but the paper will aid understanding.

Redesigning vocational curriculum: A program cluster-based approach for higher vocational colleges in China

Haisheng Pan, Ying Yang — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0800

The construction of program clusters has become the main approach for higher vocational colleges to implement the cultivation of comprehensive technical talents, with the most important aspect being the integration of curricula between different programs. Based on field investigation and case study, we found that developing program clusters mainly follow the pathway of aligning with enterprise job standards, observing working process, focusing on typical work projects, drawing capability map, updating curriculum content or developing new curriculum content, and adopting the curriculum framework of "platform + module + direction". However, due to the different links of the industrial chain that program clusters served, the curricula will also present a different structure. We inductively identified three types of curriculum frameworks, the mutual integration module curriculum that serves the short and complete industrial chain, the separate module curriculum that serves the long and complete industrial chain, and the mixed module curriculum that serves the midstream and downstream of the industrial chain.

Transformative co-creation: Analysis of research innovation vollaboration between vocational education journal editors and researchers

Le Bi, Dan Wang — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0800

Bridging the digital divide through enterprise-TVET provider partnerships: Strategic insights on digital transformation in TVET in developing nations

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0800

This article examines the critical role of enterprise-technical and vocational education and training (TVET) provider partnerships (ETPs) in addressing the digital divide and fostering digital transformation within TVET systems in developing nations. It highlights that while digital transformation is imperative for TVET to meet Industry 4.0 demands and enhance lifelong learning, developing nations face significant obstacles, such as inadequate digital infrastructure, unstable power supplies, high digital equipment costs, and a shortage of digitally proficient educators. The paper argues that the disconnect between training providers and enterprises is an underlying problem exacerbating these challenges. Through a review of existing literature and best practices, this article posits ETPs as a strategic solution. It examines specific ETP strategies, including investment in infrastructure and resources, co-development of educational materials, teacher capacity building, provision of learning management systems (LMS), and mentorship and apprenticeship program offers. The article emphasizes that ETPs can facilitate the transition from traditional to digitalized learning environments, enhance TVET curricula's relevance, and ultimately equip learners with the skills needed for the digital economy. While acknowledging ETPs' potential limitations, such as costs and conflicting commercial interests, it suggests mitigation strategies to ensure that these partnerships effectively support sustainable digital transformation in TVET within developing contexts.

Salient effects of lingering colonial pasts in Africa's technical and vocational education and training systems: A review of former French and British colonies

Ntsane Reginald Lepholisa, Rong Yu — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0800

Africa's technical and vocational education and training (TVET) systems continue to wrestle with structures inherited from colonial rule. This review is an inquest on the ways in which enduring colonial legacies have influenced the creation and implementation of TVET policies in several French and British colonies. The study performs a comprehensive qualitative synthesis of 38 peer-reviewed papers published from 1990 to 2024. These articles were obtained through searching with deductive keywords in vocational education across databases such as EBSCO, Web of Science, and Scopus. Following the elimination of duplicate articles, an assessment of relevance, and an evaluation of academic credibility, research papers that specifically investigated colonial impacts on vocational education in former African colonies were selected. This study identified three primary themes during this process: Historical structures of colonial TVET, impediments to TVET policy implementation and persistent influence of colonial legacies on policy and resources. Case studies from South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and five francophone nations (Benin, Senegal, Cameroon, Mauritania, and Mauritius) indicate the enduring impact of colonial-era educational frameworks on contemporary TVET objectives. The study demonstrates that multilateral initiatives such as China's Luban Workshops provide new frameworks for curriculum reform, educator training, and industrial collaborations. This review synthesizes material from several African contexts to develop a historiographical, informed theory of vocational education in Africa, connecting colonial roots to current policy issues. The study concludes by emphasizing strategies for decolonizing vocational curricula, improving governance, and establishing global collaborations to elevate student achievements.

Innovation and practice of industry education integration under belt and road: Case study on experiential, work-based, apprenticeship programs

Mohd Akmal Rohiat, Jason Choy Min Sheng, Ismail Abdul Rahman — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0800

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has significantly advanced Malaysia's connectivity and economic development through large-scale infrastructure projects. However, a critical yet often overlooked dimension of the BRI is the alignment of workforce development with the evolving skill demands and long-term sustainability of these initiatives. This study examines the integration of three industry-education models: experiential learning, work-based learning (WBL), and apprenticeships, as strategic mechanisms for bridging the gap between higher education and industry. These models aim to strengthen workforce readiness by equipping graduates with practical, industry-relevant competencies. Drawing on a case study of bachelor-level technology programs at Malaysia's technical universities, developed in partnership with key industry stakeholders, the study illustrates how structured academia-industry collaboration can cultivate a skilled, adaptable, and globally competitive workforce. Ultimately, such integrative approaches contribute to Malaysia's national development objectives and align with the broader human capital goals of the BRI.

Precise institutional supply pathways to address faculty shortages in German vocational schools

Zhiwen Liu, Li Wang — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0800

This study aims to explore Germany's systemic experience in addressing vocational education teacher shortages, to provide insights for developing China's "dual-qualified" teaching workforce and tackling the global shortage of vocational instructors. Employing a literature analysis method, the research systematically examines Germany's institutional reform pathways since the late 20th century. The findings reveal that Germany effectively alleviated teacher shortages through an integrated institutional approach combining "entry system innovation-training system optimization-incentive system reconstruction". This approach formed a model vocational teacher supply system. However, the study also identifies persistent challenges within the German model: balancing vocational and academic values, coordinating short-term demands with long-term standards, and effectively integrating cross-state collaboration mechanisms. The conclusion emphasizes that continuous institutional optimization is necessary to address these issues.

An analysis of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics career interests and influencing factors among Tanzanian University students: Evidence from a survey of 1497 science and engineering students

Wei Chen, Rong Bao — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0800

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education represents a critical avenue for cultivating talent in scientific and technological innovation, playing a pivotal role in national economic development and social advancement. Enhancing university students' interest in STEM careers can strengthen the foundation of STEM education and bridge individual educational experiences with national development imperatives. This study, based on a survey of 1497 science and engineering students at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, examines the factors influencing students' interests in STEM careers from both individual and environmental perspectives. The analysis reveals six key challenges confronting STEM development in Tanzania: occupational gender bias, dual imbalances between STEM academic disciplines and the needs of the industrial sector, lack of vocational guidance within families, disparities in educational access between urban and rural areas, high barriers to entry into STEM specializations, and academic burnout. To overcome these challenges, a coordinated approach involving family engagement, institutional support, and broader social collaboration is necessary to promote the development of STEM talent and support Tanzania's industrialization efforts.