On vocational and technical education

Evidently, vocational education has entered a new era. There is an increasing universal endorsement of the view that the traditional educational focus on college-bound students, needs to change.

The 21st century education is now focused on entrepreneurial skills, particularly those who do not have any academic inclination. 

Education is being urged to change the way it is preparing youths and adults to function in a global economy. As a result, skills acquisition  are bringing new relevance to vocational education and entrepreneurship.

To this end, there is an urgent need to meet the demands of the contemporary world of work, such as the need for multi-craft skills including information technology skills and soft skills and the adaptation to changing work situations.

Vocational education should be available as a part of lifelong learning so that young people as well as adults may prepare themselves better to enter, or re-enter paid employment or self employment.

In the main, the primary objective of all technical and vocational education and training programmes is the acquisition of relevant knowledge, practical skills and attitudes for gainful employment in a particular trade or occupational area.

The need to link training to employment (either self or paid employment) is at the base of all the best practices and strategies observed world-wide.   

There is widespread perception that:

1. The driving forces underlying advanced and advancing economies have shifted from manufacturing to the creation of knowledge and new ideas, and from corporations to individuals, and entrepreneurs, to actualize these new ideas.

2. Innovation has become the way to take advantage of globalization’s opportunities rather than being victimized by it, and the entrepreneur is the key to innovation.

Additionally, there is also a need to upgrade, expand, modernize and improve the standard of existing programs for which training is currently being provided; and for this there is an urgent need for proactive involvement of stakeholders and industries in every aspect of this development.

In recent years, in view of the rapid technological advances taking place in industry and the labour market in general, flexibility, adaptability, and life-long learning have become the second major objective of vocational and technical training.

3. The third objective, which is particularly important for the sustainable economic development of Nigeria, is to develop Vocational Training and Technical Education in all schools as a vehicle for rapid industrialization, as well as for individual empowerment.

Finally, schools need to start teaching students HOW to think and not WHAT to think. This will make students more creative, unafraid to make mistakes and enjoy learning more. They are the real entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

You can follow me @therealolatunde on twitter