Skills Development: Vocational Education

in the Islamic Countries

1.4. Present Status and Current Trends of Vocational Education in the World

1.4.1. Introduction

In recent years different government systems, institutions/organizations, donor agencies, NGOs

and societies emphasize that education and training should be oriented towards work and

industry as a way for uplifting socio economic status of a country. This thinking (job oriented

training) is referred to as Vocational Education and Training (VET) in various literature,

publications, and reports (Lynch, Sims, & Wespieser, 2015). Historically, the concept was

developed from apprenticeship i.e. informal education system to certify the current formal

education system. Apprenticeship was meant to give skills and experiences needed for work

compared to the current VET which also aims at equipping the learnerswith the necessary skills

and experiences needed in the workplace/industry towards ensuring good service. Therefore,

VET is playing a very vital role in the current education system. This section seeks to explore the

nature and aspects of current VET system and its trends in both developed and less developed

countries.

1.4.2. Entrance of VET Graduates into Higher Education

The literature suggests that achieving a qualification via a work-based learning provider can

increase the probability of being in employment (but not necessarily in terms of impact on

earnings) (Lynch et al., 2015). There is evidence that type of qualification is sometimes more

relevant for wage returns than the level i.e. a lower level, in some cases, qualification results in

higher wages than a higher level in another qualification. The evidence reviewed suggests that

learners who have achieved a vocational qualification are less likely to progress on to higher

education than those who achieved ‘academic’ qualifications such as ‘A’ levels. Recent evidence

also suggests that the proportion of vocational entrants is increasing in higher education,

particularly of young people who enter higher education with a combination of vocational and

‘academic’ qualifications. Most cases, VET graduates who applied higher education are more

likely to study part-time or for a sandwich degree. They are also more likely to do a Foundation

Degree or Higher National Certificate/Diploma.

1.4.3. Current Pressures

Presently, pressure is increasing on VET systems, mainly in the Arab region and developing

countries where there are growing demands to improve qualification standards in the

workforce. Most of the VET systems are not ready to respond to these needs. Prevailing VET

systems still need to be transformed from predominantly supply-driven into balanced supply

demand-driven systems. VETsystems inmany cases are unable toserve poor people due to lack

of available funds. Overall funding and efficiency remain problematic in many VET systems in

the world (Maclean & Wilson, 2009).

Many countries around the world consider and acknowledge the value and power of VET

systems towards socio-economic development and poverty eradication. Therefore, many

governments in the world set their priority towards improving VET sectors. For example

Australian government is calling for full funding for VET by the Commonwealth since

the current fundingwhich is done by sharing the cost between the Commonwealth and

the government of Australia is not enough (Noonan, 2016).

ii.

The government of Saudi Arabia, one of the OIC member states, placed importance in

the Eighth and Ninth Development Plans towards reforming TVET sectors to produce

competent labor forces to meet the current workplace requirements (Baqadir, Patrick,

& Burns, 2011). This study also reports that Saudi workforce needs to develop their