Vocational education training is geared to support the rapid industrial growth in the region.
The UAE and neighbouring countries have seen years of tremendous growth, economic diversification and social transformation, including infrastructure investment, trade and foreign direct investment.
Many of the oil-led countries are moving towards an investment-led economy in order to reduce the dependence on energy revenues and encourage investments into other areas of the industry.
Non-oil sectors such as finance, aviation, IT, tourism, retail, real estate, construction, telecommunications and hospitality are booming and currently contributing to the nation's GDP which reflect the government's continuous efforts to diversify the economy.
Increasing jobs
While diversification predominantly helps to steer clear from recession, it is simultaneously creating multiple jobs in the regions.
With a combination of multinational, global and local organisations operating in the UAE and across the GCC countries, as well as an influx of workforce from around the world, the region is experiencing strong economic expansion, increase in employment opportunities and vibrant business activities.
In addition, the rapid population growth rate in these regions has fueled developments in real estate and the education sectors. Investing in education is an investment in the future, and the knowledge and skills gained contribute significantly to economic growth and social development.
Most of the education investments in the gulf regions are initiated to secure the future of the economy and ensure that the population has access to top international and local institutions.
Educational hubs
Educational hubs such as Knowledge Village, Academic City and Education City in Qatar exist to facilitate learning and disseminate knowledge, and have successfully attracted people who are keen on studying further, developing their skills and enhancing their career.
These hubs offer a wide range of language, academic and vocational programmes that caters to everyone's needs and contribute towards a multicultural learning environment.
The 21st century has seen a change from industry developments to outsourcing and investing in human capital. The emergence of global corporations relocating to places where greater labour advantage exist, is one of the underlying factors to ensuring that education measures up to the needs of today's employers.
Benefits of VET
Although education is seen to directly impact the general skills and knowledge within the region, it is strongly linked to regional economic and social objectives. Matching the educational to industry needs can be a benefit to any economy because —
- the curriculum is linked to a profession
- it fosters lifelong learning
- and encourages completion of the curriculum
The major advantage is that it eliminates unemployment or the shortage of skills. To an organisation, this is considered as enterprise-wide intellect capital management which, support firms with implementing best practices to generate the revenues needed, as well as ensure that customers and stakeholders are content with services.
Consequently, nurturing a highly skilled population capable of delivering products and services needed by today's market not only becomes an asset to firms but is essential for continued business growth and a better standard of living.
Recent years have led to the convergence of industry and academic study. While vocational education training (VET) answers the fundamental question on how to prepare students and adults for today's workplace, very little is known about VET and its impact on the student population and working culture.
Learning should be suited to acquiring the skills that employers expect such as working in teams, solving problems through innovation and applying effective people management skills. Think of a workforce without the right skills, would it be possible to succeed against severe global competition?
Vocational education training -
- consists of industrial-led theory and practical content that are reviewed both by industrial councils and the regional education boards.
- curriculum is designed to provide practical training for a specific trade.
- allows fresh high school graduates to familiarise themselves with technical and professional competencies related to an occupation or career even before entering the workforce, while it helps to enhance the skills of working professionals whose jobs are affected by innovation, business reengineering and technology.
- classes comprise workshops that analyse work processes and find ways to implement innovative methodologies. This is achieved by encouraging students to participate in work simulation exercises, character role plays, debates, field study and discussions at class.
- enable workers to turn their ideas and innovation into realised productivity. It increases problem-solving skills, work related adaptability, communications and people skills, and most importantly responds to the needs of businesses and the industry.
Vocational education involves a seamless transition from a secondary education to an undergraduate level and finally employment, in addition to building confidence, inspiring and molding the learner for a career path or specific job profile. It is also a foundation for internship and apprenticeship programes as it covers a range of fields such as:
Marketing and media information technology
-Healthcare
Hospitality
Administration
Property management
Hotel management
Electrical technicians
Library assistance
Finance management
Business management
Community services management
Qualifications include:
Statement of attainment
Certificates
Diplomas
Advanced diplomas
Vocational education additionally allows for recognition of prior learning that is counted towards the qualification. The completion of a vocational programme support international students with an entry to an undergraduate degree at international universities. For working professionals, the qualifications lift their employment prospects for career advancement or personal development.
Applicants include:
- High school graduates planning to join international universities.
- School students looking to gain a head start in their career.
- Graduates seeking hands-on work experience and young people preparing for a job.
- Working professionals seeking a change in career, a promotion or to re-enter the workforce after a long period without employment.
The purpose is to prepare applicants for work that is satisfying, challenging and that makes them feel capable of performing.
Plus the qualifications help in coping with rapid changes in the workforce and encourage graduates to participate in the economic development of the region.
This eliminates the general feeling of not being able to connect theory taught at college or university to an occupation of one's choice.
Having the education infrastructure already in place and the rapid business growth in the UAE and across GCC countries, along with free zone ownership benefits, make it simple for vocational providers to set-up in the Middle East.
Additionally vocational training can help to sustain growth that is largely dependent on knowledge based economies.
It also supports the integration of young people into the labour market and enriches the skills of working professionals by making it easy for them to adapt to a rapidly growing and competitive industry.
— The writer is the Director of The Education Group, Sydney, Australia and Cambridge College International in Dubai.
By Neda Morris, Gulf News Report