Right from the start of my work to connect industry with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), I was faced with a complex web of problems that put my determination to the test. The most important of these was that industry needs change all the time. I remember very clearly many times when our carefully planned and improved TVET courses were caught off guard by sudden changes in technology and changing industry standards. This often led to a frustrating mismatch: even though our graduates were full of information and enthusiasm, they didn’t always have the modern skills that employers were looking for.
Along with these real problems, there was a sneakier problem: the perceived barrier. There were negative comments about TVET grads’ skills being heard in the hallways of industries, which was upsetting. Skeptics often said bad things about them when compared to people with more traditional academic skills. I remember listening to talks where people in the industry world questioned how well our students understood both theory and practice. These kinds of biases made it less appealing for TVET institutions and some companies to work together.
It wasn’t any easier to get things done along the way. At times, it felt like Sisyphean to make it easier for industry leaders and TVET institutions to talk to each other and work together effectively. It seemed impossible to find the perfect mix of resources, time, and a shared goal. There were times when I had doubts and the task seemed too hard to handle.
But problems often give people the drive to come up with new ideas. Because of these problems, I pushed for regular meetings to be set up between TVET institutions and important people in the industry. Imagine rooms full of lively discussions, whiteboards brimming with plans, and everyone working together to make sure the program is relevant. Many good things came from these meetings. One effect that was especially good was the start of training and apprenticeship programs. Once stuck in the theoretical world of classes, our students could now find their way through the real-world industrial maze. Their time spent on these assignments helped them learn a lot more and improve their skills in ways that made them highly desirable in the job market.
Even though we were making changes to the system, the perceived barrier kept showing up. We led awareness efforts that put our TVET graduates in the spotlight in order to change the stories that were being told. People heard about their successes, such as the new ideas they pushed, the value they added to industries, and how they could change colors like a chameleon.
One thing I’ve learned from my journey to align the goals of industry and TVET is that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. It will be a long and difficult road, but with unwavering determination, teamwork, and a never-ending drive for greatness, we’re building a future where TVET graduates are the leaders in an industry that is always changing.
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