Recognising potential: trade educators transforming a workforce

Abstract

The importance of developing a knowledgeable, skilled, adaptable and flexible workforce that engages in continuous learning is outlined in the 2015 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) document ‘Unleashing the Potential: Transforming Technical and Vocational Education and Training’. While this statement reflects an aspiration for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) graduates as skilled members of a twenty-first-century workforce, educators, trainers and organisations are implicated. Indeed, it is incumbent on them to be closely involved in the development of such a workforce. To understand, prepare for and provide such workforce development, learning organisations and educators must undertake their own learning and development. Education and training with a focus on providing for a knowledgeable, skilled, adaptable and flexible workforce is only possible when the educational workforce has the means to achieve such a goal. In ‘Strengthening TVET Teacher Education: Report of the UNESCO/UNEVOC Online Conference’, it is stated that the development of a strong TVET teacher workforce is a vital part of a strong TVET system. Pre-service teacher education and continuing professional development are identified as key components.

Keywords:

• Technical and vocational education and training
• trade education
• teacher agency
• professional development in vocational education and training