Digital skills development in TVET teacher training solution essential for future-ready workers

Integrating digital blended content into classroom learning is essential for enabling students, with the guidance of 21st-century educators, to remain on a path of continuous learning. This prepares learners to enter a dynamic workforce in an ever-evolving job market. However, teachers and trainers often feel overwhelmed by the challenge of aligning educational strategies with the rapidly changing demands of the modern economy and the latest technological advancements in the industrial sector. Effective integration of 21st century skills can bridge the gap, helping learners smoothly transition into professional roles.

At this crucial juncture, the Trainer Development Strategy for the Skilling Ecosystem (TDSSE), a framework and set of guidelines for the holistic development of 21st-century education was published by the Future Rights Skills Network (FRSN) a collaboration between Accenture, Cisco, and JP Morgan facilitated by Quest Alliance with an overarching mission of making India’s youth future-ready.

At the heart of this initiative lies the holistic development of 21st-century skill education which aligns with UNESCO’s (2016) definition of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), which is education essential for equipping learners with practical skills and knowledge important for making them future-ready to find jobs in various sectors. The strategy calls for a wider definition of trainer development, not restricted to workshop and trainings alone. It recommends areas, which are interconnected and speak to the development of trainers and the development of the ecosystem enabling trainers in TVET.

In the Indian context, the faded glory of the definition can be attributed to a need to improve the quality of our trainers. Hence, factors that contribute to trainer development and education within the Indian TVET ecosystem becomes important. Though the nation’s TVET environment has changed rapidly over the last 8 years since implementing the National Policy on Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (NPSDE, 2015), its real success lies in establishing a robust, sustainable model for trainer development. The current gaps in the model can be fixed by taking measures to enhance the overall efficiency of TVET trainers. The bottom-up method should start with fixing the gap in the existing trainer pool, acknowledging their needs, addressing challenges, and ensuring their professional development in order to hold engaging classes that will inspire students to pursue careers of their interest in the future technology-driven market.

To help learners seamlessly graduate from being students to professionals, it is critical to bring digital skills into the classroom as more jobs become automated. A conducive environment should be provided for trainers to participate in their training to enable this transition. Using online learning models and building courses in new technologies can initiate ITI trainers to adopt a future-focused teaching approach.

However, evidence gathered in a study by UNESCO’s International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training shows that the lack of incentives, workload pressure, low-irregular remuneration, and fewer promotion opportunities deter teachers from participating in trainer development programs in low and middle-income countries. Some of the solutions suggested in the paper to ensure enrollment is — updating the curriculum, digitizing content, including practical training, and improving infrastructure and standards in vocational education through exposure visits to National Skills Training Institutes, industrial units, and Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises tool rooms. Additionally, fostering safe and conducive work environments that are gender-disabilities inclusive and devoid of harassment and violence will motivate permanent and contractual trainers to stay in their roles.

Furthermore, ensuring trainers’ promotion upon completion of trade-specific courses and offering regular constructive feedback on teaching methods, classroom management, and overall performance are ways to reduce the existing attrition of trainers. A suggestion to ensure their long-term retention would be to identify and appreciate trainers at various levels and categories, which will require a shift from recognizing only a fraction of outstanding vocational trainers through the Kaushalacharya Award — started in 2019, where a handful of exceptional trainers from all over India were felicitated for their contributions to the skilling ecosystem.

Moreover, while implementing local measures to retain vocational trainers is crucial, it’s imperative to recognize the broader challenges facing TVET sectors globally. Despite efforts in some upper-middle, and high-income countries to integrate digital skills into education, TVET sectors have often been neglected. An ILO study (2020) underscores these disparities, revealing contradictory national policies and regulatory frameworks hindering digitization in TVET. This oversight is particularly concerning given the UNESCO-UNEVOC survey’s findings, indicating that many TVET teachers have yet to fully integrate technology into their teaching methods to meet evolving industry demands. Addressing these systemic challenges is essential for creating resilient TVET systems capable of adapting to the changing landscape of employment and industry needs.

In essence, as TVETs worldwide grapple with the winds of change, the digital proficiency of the workforce is crucial. With a rise in migration across countries for jobs, it is essential to arm trainers with digital skills that will empower learners to compete globally, fueling national economic growth and enhancing global competitiveness.