Open Access Journal Article

Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Asia and the Pacific –It’s Matter for Economic Performance with the 4th Industrial Revolution

by G.L.D. Wickramasinghe a, b orcid  and  Vathsala Wickramasinghe c,* orcid
a
Department of Textile and Apparel Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
b
Colombo Plan Staff College, Pasig City, Manila, Philippines
c
Department of Management of Technology, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
JEA  2025 4(1):95; https://doi.org/10.58567/jea04010009
Received: 24 May 2024 / Accepted: 4 October 2024 / Published Online: 4 November 2024
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Abstract

The very nature of work, labor market composition, and skill requirements are severely affected by technology-driven transformations currently underway with the 4th industrial revolution (4IR). The effect of 4IR technologies on technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and the contribution of TVET to the labor market is explicit. The paper presents the findings of a study that investigated whether TVET institutions are prepared to face the challenges of 4IR. The data for the study were collected by surveying 428 teachers from 15 countries in Asia and the Pacific engaged in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at the tertiary level. The findings of our study undoubtedly bring greater attention to the initiatives of TVET in these countries in preparing the workforce for job roles necessitated in the 4IR. The findings can also be used to frame policy recommendations for the growth of economies.

Keywords: 4th industrial revolution; technical and vocational education and training; TVET; Asia, South Asia, East Asia;
Copyright: © 2024 by Wickramasinghe and Wickramasinghe. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) (Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

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ACS Style
Wickramasinghe, G.; Wickramasinghe, V. Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Asia and the Pacific –It’s Matter for Economic Performance with the 4th Industrial Revolution. Journal of Economic Analysis, 2025, 4, 95. https://doi.org/10.58567/jea04010009
AMA Style
Wickramasinghe G, Wickramasinghe V. Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Asia and the Pacific –It’s Matter for Economic Performance with the 4th Industrial Revolution. Journal of Economic Analysis; 2025, 4(1):95. https://doi.org/10.58567/jea04010009
Chicago/Turabian Style
Wickramasinghe, G.L.D.; Wickramasinghe, Vathsala 2025. "Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Asia and the Pacific –It’s Matter for Economic Performance with the 4th Industrial Revolution" Journal of Economic Analysis 4, no.1:95. https://doi.org/10.58567/jea04010009
APA style
Wickramasinghe, G., & Wickramasinghe, V. (2025). Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Asia and the Pacific –It’s Matter for Economic Performance with the 4th Industrial Revolution. Journal of Economic Analysis, 4(1), 95. https://doi.org/10.58567/jea04010009

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