Title: Experiencing work-integrated learning and training program: critical success factors for vocational education's management

Authors: Kongkiti Phusavat; Thanapan Kongtong; Jukka Majava; Achmad Nizar Hidayanto; Zbigniew Pastuszak

Addresses: Department of Industrial Engineering, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan Rd, Bangkok 10900, Thailand ' Department of Industrial Engineering, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan Rd, Bangkok 10900, Thailand ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Oulu University, Pentti Kaiteran Katu 1, Linnanmaa 90014, Finland ' Department of Information Systems and Information Technology, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus UI Depok 16424, Indonesia ' Institute of Management and Quality Sciences, Department of Information Systems and SCM, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Pl. Marii Curie-Sklodowskiej 5, 20-031 Lublin, Poland

Abstract: Vocational education has direct impacts on preparing and developing qualified workforce. During the past decade, vocational education has undergone many fundamental changes, especially the so-called work-integrated learning and training program. The study focuses on identifying the critical success factors to overcome the program's weakness. Nominal Group Technique is applied during this investigation with the students who have completed their first year at one vocational college. Altogether five factors are identified; i.e., instructor skills, student evaluation, responsiveness to student needs, communication, and student psychology, which have to be part of improved vocational education's management. These factors are generally consistent with the previous findings as more sharing of information and collaboration among a vocational school, a private firm, and a student is needed. Interestingly, the unexpected consequence from this study is increased motivation and more positive attitude towards the study's program. This can be explained by the open-loop learning concept.

Keywords: vocational education management; nominal group technique; work-integrated learning and training; single-loop learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2021.113524

International Journal of Management in Education, 2021 Vol.15 No.2, pp.140 - 154

Received: 27 Nov 2019
Accepted: 26 Feb 2020
Published online: 10 Mar 2021 *

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