Technical and Vocational Education: How Could it Be a Paradigm Shift for Youth Brighter Future?

Generally, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) has been treated as an inferior alternative to academic education, a fallback for those who couldn’t make it to universities. Yet, a recent study by Cai and Kosaka and their team introduces a revolutionary concept that could finally bring TVET the recognition it deserves: perceiving it as a service system where students, enterprises, and institutions co-create value. If embraced, this perspective could transform TVET into a dynamic, respected, and indispensable economic and social development pillar.

The crux of the study’s argument lies in service-dominant (S-D) logic, which views TVET as an interactive system. In this view, students are not passive recipients but active participants in their education. Likewise, enterprises do not just hire graduates; they shape them through training, mentorship, and direct collaboration. If structured properly, this interdependence creates a cycle of value enhancement that benefits and create win win situation for all stakeholders. Students acquire relevant skills, businesses gain competent workers, and societies foster employment and innovation.

Schools and enterprises work together seamlessly in countries where TVET is thriving, such as Germany, which has a dual education model. Students split their time between classroom learning and hands-on experience at companies, leading to a skilled and adaptable workforce. The United States, China, and many other nations have tried to replicate aspects of this approach but have struggled to integrate businesses fully into the educational process. The reluctance of enterprises to invest in training is understandable; companies fear that skilled workers might leave after acquiring expertise. However, the study suggests that reframing this relationship as co-creation rather than mere training could shift mindsets. When students and enterprises see each other as collaborators rather than trainers and trainees, mutual investment in long-term success becomes more viable.

This new paradigm underscores the urgent need for educational policy reform. Governments must swiftly recognize TVET as a service industry and create incentives for collaboration between educational institutions and businesses. Public-private partnerships should be structured to ensure that companies are vested in shaping curricula, contributing mentors, and integrating students into real-world work settings. Additionally, TVET institutions must embrace their role as facilitators of this ecosystem rather than mere knowledge providers.
 

The benefits of such a transformation are vast and far-reaching. The study underscores that TVET, when properly structured, can reduce unemployment, lower crime rates, and drive economic growth. Students who graduate with skills that industries need are far more likely to find meaningful employment. Moreover, businesses that invest in training pipelines secure a steady flow of capable workers, reducing recruitment costs and turnover rates.

Perceiving education as a service is not a radical idea, many universities already operate on this model, treating students as stakeholders with whom they must engage and evolve. It is high time that TVET receives the same treatment. By fostering a culture of value co-creation, nations can elevate the status of technical education, unlock human potential, and build resilient economies.

The choice is clear: we either continue treating TVET as a secondary track or embrace its potential as a powerful engine of economic progress. The latter requires bold policy shifts, industry buy-in, and a fundamental reimagining of the student’s role in education. It’s a challenging task, but the rewards for individuals, businesses, and societies alike make it worth taking on.