Reasons Behind a Career Change Through Vocational Education and Training

Current changes in the education system and increased competition for employment have pressurized the government to produce major skills among the youth to make them employable. Moreover, technical and vocational education (TVE) worldwide is being used to resolve the problems of unemployment, poverty, and increased competition in the international labor market. Also, technical and vocational education is called career and technical education (CTE), which enables students to get a professional job without graduating or acquiring any other professional degree. Furthermore, it is an education that provides a hands-on experience that helps individuals to get a desirable job easily in the future. This chapter highlights how Pakistan has developed TVE and has taken several initiatives like TEVTA and NAVTTC (National Vocational and Technical Training Commission), which are taken for providing skills to the local people for their better career building. The data is collected from several official government websites of Pakistan which are mentioned further in the chapter and also provided on the reference page. Also, the study supports different previous research articles. To empower women and adolescent girls, TVE has been considered an important factor. So, it is important in every country to include both general training and vocational education for the growth of society.

Advanced Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Agricultural Technology Among Technical Vocational Education and Training College Students

This study sought to document students' experiences on the use of advanced scholarship of teaching and learning (instructional methods) in agricultural technology. Agricultural technology aims to aid TVET students with sustainable developmental skills for agricultural sector. This includes gearing them towards productivity along the agriculture value chains and improve the economic growth. Hence, the study purposively sampled 50 agricultural technology students and each group contained 10 members. Furthermore, this study used slow scholarship and world café as a theoretical framework. Through a phenomenological approach, students revealed how the slow scholarship and world café methods have developed their ability to learn agricultural concepts and acquiring essential life skills. Thus, it was recommended that agriculture technology lecturers in TVET colleges should be trained more frequently on student centered approaches in order to align with the goals of agricultural technology curriculum.

The Alignment of Civil Engineering Tools and Equipment Between TVET Colleges and Industries

This study was conducted in response to the call made by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) in South Africa to strengthen the awareness levels of TVET colleges' readiness to embrace the 4IR era. The purpose of this study was to focus on equipment alignment between TVET colleges and industries. This study used Eulau and Karps' theory of responsiveness as a guide to explore the purpose. Also, this study purposefully sampled five TVET colleges in Limpopo province and two civil engineering industries linked to these institutions. This study used a descriptive qualitative research design. Document analysis and non-participant observations were used as data collection instruments. The study found that the working tools and equipment used by these TVET colleges were not fancy or showing prospects of Fourth Industrial Revolution. This was the same thing with the linked industries. Hence, all tools used were simply outdated when it comes to 4IR integration. And so, the study recommends that TVET colleges should institute new partnerships with 4IR responsive industries than being linked to industries that are using conventional tools and equipment.

Comparing Vocational Skills Development and Workplace Learning in Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, Which Way to Go?

Provision of vocational skills development (VSD) and workplace learning (WPL) have become paramount in solving socio-economic problems of learner skills-job mismatch, inequality, access, unemployment, and poverty. Workplace learning enhances smooth transition from school to the world of work. The chapter compares vocational skills development and workplace learning provision in Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Literature study indicates that the three countries have different models of VSD and policies but have a common vision of imparting skills that can be used for personal and national economic gains. To achieve quality training standards, quality assurance bodies are in place in the three countries responsible to oversee training standards and regulating practices. This is done through registration and accreditation of training institutions, workplaces, programmes, assessors, and moderators and assessment processes up to certification of successful learners. Based on the literature review findings, recommendations are that there is need for cooperation and sharing of best practices between countries to strengthen the provision of vocational skills development and workplace learning. There is need to ensure there is adequately qualified lecturing cadre with both technical and professional qualifications, for school-based training, and trained workplace-based mentors and coaches.

Pedagogic Practice in Classroom and Workshop at Technical and Vocational Education Training Colleges

Good pedagogy practices require a comprehensive list of strategies that will sustain and produce students in a specific content domain. The aim of this chapter is to explore vocational pedagogic practices in classrooms and workshops at technical and vocational education training (TVET) colleges. A closed-ended Likert-type questionnaire on vocational pedagogic practices was administered to the students, while interviews were conducted on the pedagogic practices in the classroom and workshop with the lecturers. Convenient and purposive sampling were used for the selection of the participants. The study sample was 58 students and four lecturers. Data was collected through semi structured interviews and a student's questionnaire. The interviews were transcribed, and each transcription was measured with the purpose to explore vocational pedagogic practices in classrooms and workshops at TVET colleges. The percentage of each item of the questionnaire was analysed through frequency distribution using Microsoft Excel. The findings showed that the NATED section of the TVET colleges is mainly for theory where the NC (V) section is for practical. Some parts of the TVET colleges' curriculum are not satisfactory and the hands-on practical activities that are a true reflection of workplace activities are not presented adequately in the curriculum. Based on the findings, the chapter suggests that the TVET colleges' curriculum be revised and updated in order to meet the standard requirements and the lecturers should be upgraded especially on hands-on practical activities in order to prepare the students to meet the companies' requirements.

Four Strategies for Blended Learning in TVET

The sudden outbreak of a deadly disease called COVID-19 caused by a coronavirus shook the entire world and was declared a pandemic. This situation forced lecturers to shift to online mode of teaching. The chapter sought to determine the benefits of blended learning in TVET and establish good practices of its implementation in other countries during pandemics. The challenges in implementing blended learning were determined. Finally, four strategies for blended learning in TVET from a South African post-pandemic perspective were proposed. The systematic literature review revealed that blended learning has to be embraced as the new normal mode of teaching post-pandemic. It was established that for a smooth transition from face-to-face to online learning careful planning, preparation, adaptation, and an appropriate learning space are required. Specific interventions to integrate blended learning principles in programme design and to train TVET lecturers and students in using digital technology are a prerequisite.

Challenges Experienced by Lecturers About Instructional Practices on Agricultural Programmes in TVET Colleges

The acquisition of knowledge and skills largely depends on the availability of resources and equipment to practice agricultural programmes. Providing quality of knowledge and skills is challenging for lecturers offering agricultural programmes in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges. Therefore, practicing agriculture using appropriate resources and equipment have a crucial role to play in ensuring that lecturers are able to practice agricultural programmes in TVET colleges. The considered challenge is that lecturers are unable to practice agricultural programmes due to a lack of agricultural resources and equipment. The qualitative research approach applied in this chapter was through semi-structured interviews used to collect data of 15 individual agriculture TVET lecturers. The study was analyzed using Mitzel's theoretical framework, and presage variables were used as a lens to understand the challenges experienced by lecturers about instructional practices on agricultural programmes. Content knowledge and skill, teaching skill, teaching style, and personal traits and those themes were used as categories to present the lecturer's interview. The key finding was that although most of the lecturers were able to integrate content knowledge and practical skill and has good personality traits, they were unable to show their teaching skills and teaching style due to a lack of resources and equipment. The authors conclude that a lack of resources and equipment derail the practice of agricultural programmes in TVET colleges.

Challenges Experienced by TVET Colleges in Producing Skilled Workforces

The post-apartheid education policies were developed to eradicate inequality of learner performance and racial composition of schools and vocational colleges. Vocationalising education is a solution for skills gap. This chapter is based on the study that focused on vocational pedagogic and didactic practices, workshop material and equipment for practical training, work-integrated learning, and integration of theory and practice in vocational subjects. The methodology of collecting data were interviews and observations. The participants of the study were seven lecturers at three TVET colleges, who were selected purposefully. The empirical results from three TVET colleges investigated showed that vocational pedagogy and practical skills training is not responding to the needs of workplaces and leads to the high unemployment of youth. There are no practical activities at the colleges; hence, there is no integration of theory and practicals in vocational subjects. This study found that the curricula offered at the TVET colleges is irrelevant and requires urgent review in order to respond to the current workplace requirements.

Employability Skills for Civil Engineering

One of the striking characters of civil engineering is its emphasis to the development of hands-on practical skills, innovation, and creativity. Civil engineering's unique epistemological feature is heavily geared towards equipping individuals with relevant skills for occupational safety.. The purpose of this study was to identify employability skills that civil engineering teachers use to prepare students for 4IR. This study used a mixed method approach, where questionnaire and interviews were used to collect data. This study was guided by EASTA's “employability skills for TVET graduates.” This study found that most civil engineering teachers have a challenge in equipping their students with various employability skills. This is as a result of a PAT that only focuses on generic skills than core skills and personal traits. Therefore, this study recommends that the approach for civil engineering course to Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) should be viewed through an employability skills lens and calling for teachers to challenge their comfort zone in preparing their students with skills that are pertinent to the 4IR needs.

Vocationalizing Education

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges continue to struggle to fulfill their mandate of skills development among the youth. This is so because TVET colleges still lag behind in integrating information and communications technology (ICT) in their classrooms, which has made inroads in industries. Qualitative approach was used to investigate the TVET college lecturers' instructional practices in their classrooms. Four TVET colleges as well as eight lecturers were purposefully and conveniently selected for the study. The technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework was used as an underpinning framework. Findings reveal that lecturers are not keen in integrating ICTs in their teaching and some are not encouraged to do so. It was also found that not all lecturers are adequately qualified to teach in the vocational field. The study recommends that teaching resources be sought in order for colleges to align their practices with industrial practices. Lecturers too should be capacitated in integrating technology in their lessons.