The future for TVET will be greener, smarter and without limits.
Trends for TVET
The last 10 years have had a massive impact on the demand for the skills and numbers of TVET graduates in developed economies. It is easy to recognize changes when we look behind. It is harder to predict the future. However, combining later history with what we can see around us, we can probably find some trends. What will happen with the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) the coming years?
The world, including the world of TVET, is undergoing substantial change. Globalization, technology, the world of work, and the physical choices: all have the potential to influence TVET in the areas.
Transition to green economies
UNESCO is highlighting the environment combined with the need for skilled labor in their strategy for the current period as “the umbrella challenge”. In the strategy document, UNESCO writes that across all development sectors, there are tremendous and dynamic skills needs. For all countries, climate change represents an urgent and potentially irreversible threat. All Member States have priorities for the transition to green economies and climate resilient societies. UNESCO predicts that such transitions will positively affect employment and transform consumption and production patterns. The transformation to a greener economy could generate 15 to 60 million additional jobs globally over the next two decades and lift tens of millions of workers out of poverty [1].
The UNESCO Strategy has three priority areas: 1) Fostering youth employment and entrepreneurship; 2) Promoting equity and gender equality; 3) Facilitating the transition to green economies and sustainable societies [1].
Digital technologies and robotics
Digital technologies have spread rapidly in much of the world influencing all disciplines, economies, industries and the world of work. The massively accelerated application of robotics in manufacturing has changed the decision matrix, and low labor costs in developing economies are now being offset by lower labor input costs in developed economies adopting robotics and new materials. On the other hand, it creates needs for new skills.
For TVET, a revolution in the curriculum is required to prepare graduates for an immediate job, but also for continuing employment. Imagine having been trained in extractive technology such as cutting, boring, turning using the finest equipment only to find that employment depends on additive technology, the application of 3D printers [2].
The students
The Youth Declaration is a collection of statements from young people expressing their views on a number of important issues facing them today. From the New Zealand Youth Declaration, we can read: “3.3 We believe that low decile schools are not given adequate access to technology and online learning in this digital age. With the exponential rise of technology, it is pivotal that all students can access these mediums. We recommend the implementation of technology hubs to allow students from low socio-economic areas to have equitable access to education and technology.” [3].
The focus for the World Skills in Abu Dhabi in 2017 was “Think future” [4]. The future with a greener economy in a digital age. One possibility we have today and in the future is to give the TVET students access to the new technology and use the online learning. Creating the online learning, gives a larger number of students access to more differentiated studies.
The president of World Skills International, Simon Bartley wants to bring TVET and higher education closer. He says: “the world is increasingly beginning to believe that for a successful world, a successful economy, for a successful business, we need a blend of academic and vocationally trained individuals in the workplace,” [5].
The future for TVET
Many initiatives are pointing towards the same direction: The future for TVET will be greener, smarter and without limits.
[1] The UNESCO strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) (2016-2021) http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002452/245239e.pdf
[2] TVET Journal http://www.tvetjournal.com/the-future-of-tvet.html
[3] THE YOUTH DECLARATION 2017 (https://unyouth.org.nz/events/youth-declaration/youth-declaration-2017/)
[4] World Skills Abu Dhabi 2017 (https://worldskillsabudhabi2017.com/en/whats-on/international-tvet-youth-forum/)
[5] The National (https://www.thenational.ae/uae/young-talent-takes-centre-stage-as-worldskills-abu-dhabi-2017-gets-under-way-1.667141)