08.09.2021 - Kick-off Conference: “Digitalization and TVET”

Conference Digitalization and TVET

The trend of digitalization creates multiple challenges for TVET teaching personnel and puts on more responsibilities on top of the manifold roles they already need to fulfill. This development has been realized by many TVET stakeholders in the system already and after all, as many as 977 participants from 101 countries have registered to follow the inputs and expert discussions on requirements and approaches for competence development of TVET personnel in international and development cooperation.

The GIZ TVET Academy / UNEVOC Centre Magdeburg, Germany, virtually hosted and organized the event jointly with international partners as: the Education Group of the Asian Development Bank, the Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training and the International Labour Organisation.

The organizers would like to express their gratitude to the distinguished contributors from the

international development organizations but also from the business and TVET research sector for their generosity of spending their time and sharing their knowledge and expertise.

(Profiles of contributors, ppts, the conference recording and further documents are available on the conference website: Conference "Digitalization and TVET" (giz.de))

To reflect main messages for demands of competence development of TVET personnel in addressing upcoming changes in production, business and work processes resulting from Digitalization - amongst others a need for holistic approaches in Capacity Development for target groups on different levels as well as accessible knowledge and learning platforms were expressed and moreover, speakers emphasized that the shift to digital learning environments requires core competencies in remote teaching and learning.

Solution approaches encompass such as setting up systematic multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder cooperation for instance to develop blended-learning strategies, competence standards or digital learning frameworks. The implementation of such requires directed competence development of responsible personnel and so not only fragmented enhanced in-service training in the sense of lifelong learning, but also a development of systematic pre-service training for the next generation of teachers and in-company trainers should remain in the center of attention.

Conference speakers concluded therefore that with the drastic change of requirements in competencies further investments in the development of TVET personnel competence and capacity development are required. Changes in work processes and work organization lead to required adaptions of occupational profiles and competencies, which also makes constant curriculum adaptions necessary. The business sector, as demand side of TVET, depend on actions of other TVET stakeholders in order to keep up with the constant technological developments.

Solution approaches, such as technology-enhanced pedagogical models including situation-based instruction as well as platforms to connect employers, in-company trainers, teachers and apprentices with each other have been requested.

The use of digital tools and resources creates promising opportunities that are not yet entirely explored. But also challenges and certain limitations have been addressed, such as with bandwidth and IT infrastructure or the missing approaches and practices for appropriate blended learning settings in combining online learning and acquisition of practical hands-on skills. While it is a fact that digitalization causes content and competence requirements on different levels, effective digital training concepts and methods to build transversal but also occupational specific skills are still on trial in diverse teaching and learning contexts.

The addressed topics will be further explored in a workshop session on Tuesday, 19th October 2021, where the audience can select to participate in one of the offered workshops:

WS 1: Occupational Structures, Training Contents 

WS 2: Digital Resources, Media, Tools, Platforms 

WS 3: Training processes, didactical concepts, methods, co-operation mechanisms, multiple learning venues 

Last but not least: Digitalization can be – or must be (?) an enabler of new forms of cooperation – let us benefit from that and jointly take action! 

The GIZ TVET Academy and its partners hope to see you in the upcoming workshops, to jointly derive necessary actions for the TVET community.