Soft Skills Acquisition for the Knowledge Economy: A Research Strategy for Policy Evolution in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Intermediate and Emergent Economies

Khilji, Nasrullah; Roberts, Stephen A.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-94036-2_21

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…It seems apparent from the interview data that while technical skills are necessary, soft skills are also strongly needed to work efficiently, particularly as students envision in their future career growth and success in the long run. However, there have been concerns over VET curriculums, especially in developing countries such as Vietnam (Van Kieu and Minh Tran, 2021) and Pakistan (Khilji and Roberts, 2022). These concerns claim that teaching focused on hard skills still takes up the majority of the curriculum, leading to deficits in soft skills building, which should be addressed by VET stakeholders.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is congruent with a growing number of studies which contend that soft skills have increasingly become more important for both future careers and life success (Heckman and Kautz, 2012;Cinque et al, 2021). Furthermore, the number of studies that underline the relevance of soft skills in vocational education has grown exponentially in the recent years, while the role of VET as a key vehicle for supporting the acquisition of soft skills for future workers has been given much attention (Calero López and Rodríguez-López, 2020;Khilji and Roberts, 2022). Hence, the focus on twenty first century skills, particularly soft skills, in this study can contribute to the reform and improvement of vocational curriculums, specifically in mechatronic and robotic programmes, to build capacity of future vocational workforces that meet labour market demands.…”

Section: Twenty First Century Skillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Skills That Matter: Qualitative Study Focusing on the Transfer of Training Through the Experience of Thai Vocational Students

Thianthai

Sutamchai

2022

Front. Educ.

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Ensuring the transfer of training and preparing students to gain skills required for their specific professions are at the heart of vocational education and training (VET). Accordingly, school-work alignment is a key determinant in the transfer of training. Today, vocational graduates with mechatronics-based skillsets are highly sought-after. It is thereby crucial for VET to develop relevant pedagogies that can equip students with the skills they need to ensure the transfer of training. Literature has suggested that soft skills are increasingly important, yet rarely has there been research focusing on the lived experiences of vocational students in this field. This study aims to understand the important skills—both hard and soft skills—for vocational mechatronics and robotics students in Thailand through their own experiences, by exploring what skills they acquired from school that are significant to them, and what skills they need when they practise their jobs. The study employed qualitative methods, drawing from 40 semi-structured interviews with vocational mechatronics and robotics students, who are in their last year in dual vocational training programmes from two prominent technical schools in Thailand. Findings reveal that the most significant skills that students acquired from mechatronics and robotics programme were technical knowledge and skills, creative and innovative thinking, teamwork, and perseverance. The most important skills for their future work, interestingly, were all soft skills considered to be necessary when it comes to practical work, namely, language and communication, adaptability and interpersonal skills, willingness to learn, and innovative thinking. Our data also yielded an understanding of some relations across skillsets and the culturally specific meanings ascribed to certain skills and skillsets. This research not only identifies important skills for vocational mechatronics students, but also why those skills are perceived as important and how they are applied in practice. Vocational mechatronics and robotics curriculum should pay more attention to soft skills development to ensure adequate skills of students for their work settings. We recommended that VET across different cultural contexts should explore the meaning and values of skills requirements according to their respective cultural group to make suitable curriculums for their specific contexts.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Twenty First Century Skillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Skills That Matter: Qualitative Study Focusing on the Transfer of Training Through the Experience of Thai Vocational Students

Thianthai

Sutamchai

2022

Front. Educ.

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“…The development of human capital is greatly influenced by vocational and technical education, which is essential in creating a trained workforce. These customized educational pathways are created to deliver real-world competencies, knowledge, and practical skills that are perfectly aligned with the needs of the job market (Khilji & Roberts, 2022). Vocational and technical education programs place a strong emphasis on giving students practical knowledge and abilities in a range of trades and vocations.…”

Section: Role Of Vocational and Technical Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Vocational and technical education programs reduce unemployment rates by equipping students with employable skills, increasing the labor force, and easing the strain on social welfare systems (Khilji & Roberts, 2022). Also, a workforce with technical and vocational training is typically more productive.…”

Section: Role Of Vocational and Technical Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Economics of Education and Digital Learning for Human Capital Development in Pakistan: A Critical Review

Aijaz,

Lodhi,

Shamim

et al. 2024

QJSS

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The objective of the research is to better understand how digital learning, specifically how it affects employability, skills, and economic growth, may enhance the development of human capital within the framework of Pakistan's educational system. This research critically examines the economics of education in Pakistan by addressing significant research issues. It examines the financial barriers to education, focusing on issues including financial inequality and procedural hurdles. The research examines how initiatives for curriculum reform and teacher training help educational institutions support human capital development. It also examines the effects of online education, demonstrating its ability to close knowledge gaps and improve digital literacy. Despite obstacles like the digital divide, this research emphasizes the significance of strategic measures to guarantee equal access to high-quality education and build a trained, flexible workforce essential for Pakistan's socio-economic success. However, implement evidence-based policies to enhance the management of education. Research in the future should concentrate on inventive financing approaches and reliable data.

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