Technical and Vocational Training as a key contributor to a thriving economy in Saudi Arabia.
Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) has been gaining global popularity as a tool towards sustainable development. Although education has been the primary tool for national development in many countries, many governments have started prioritizing technical and vocational training as a way of developing a skilled labor force as a tool to achieve national development. With the rapid advancements in technology, the job market is changing, and so people need to be equipped with essential market labor skills. The government of Saudi Arabia has prioritized technical and vocational education as a primary tool towards sustainable economic development. Attaining a thriving economy is one of Saudi Arabia vision 2030 goals, and this can be achieved through a multi-faceted technical and vocational education.
On the other hand, one of Saudi’s vision 2030 commitments is to provide an education that contributes to economic growth. An education that contributes to economic growth is one that is not only based on acquiring academic knowledge but also focuses on acquiring tangible skills. Practical skills are critical towards achieving economic growth because the blue-collar industry requires a skilled workforce. Towards this commitment, Saudi’s government has taken an initiative of setting up technical and vocational training institutions through the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC). These institutions are meant to prepare a skilled work force equipped with tangible skills as opposed to the current Arabian education system that prioritizes university education. The uptake of vocational training in Saudi Arabia has remained low because many youths have a skewed perception that the only way to succeed in life is through a white-collar job (Aldossari 3). A lot of youths feel marginalized because they cannot afford or do not qualify for high education. Yet, they are not willing to take vocational and technical training because of underestimating the value of technical and vocational education. The Saudi government want to eliminate this mindset and equip the youths with practical skills that will prepare them to handle blue-collar jobs because as technology changes, more white-collar jobs will be diminished. As white-collar jobs reduce, the workforce is changing because industrialization has created more jobs in the retail and manufacturing sector. This means that Saudi’s workforce needs to be equipped with essential skills that will help them embrace more roles in the industrialized sector.
As Saudi Arabia changes its economic dependency from oil to investment, one of the government’s goal is to invest in education that will prepare Saudi’s young generation for the diversified future. Globalization, driven by technology advances, has changed the future of the job market and this means that the workforce has to be equipped with the essential skills for the changing occupations (Donn and Manthri 9). Globalization has led to economic competitiveness, and the only way to achieve this competitiveness is by developing a workforce that is ready to meet future global demands. As industrialization increases in Saudi Arabia, shortages of skilled labour has been apparent in Saudi’s labour market, such as in manufacturing and information technology industries. The shortage of skilled labour in these sectors has led to a massive hiring of expatriate workers to fill the labour market gap. Saudi Arabia’s government is dedicated to investing in an all-round education system that is in line with market needs. The government’s goal towards a thriving economy is to close the gap between the demands of the labour market and the output of the education system. To achieve this, the Saudi government has established technical and vocational training institutions that will bridge this gap by imparting an education that fulfils the local and international market needs.
Similarly, countries such as South Korea have discovered the role of a technically skilled workforce in economic growth and have revitalized vocational education and training. Since the 2008 economic crisis, Korean government prioritized vocational education training to help develop a skilled workforce and also fight unemployment among Korean youths (Ji-Yeon 4). It introduced different policies for vocational education which include specialized vocational high school and Meister high school. These policies have encouraged many youths to partake vocational training when pursuing their career path. In 2010, employment rate among Korean youths rose from 22% to 41% after the introduction of Meister high school (Ji-Yeon 4). Unemployment rate has greatly reduced in Korea because their labor market is in need of technical skills which youths can now acquire through the Meister high school education system.
Economic growth necessitates the transformation of the education system to ensure that people are equipped with the knowledge and skills required for the changing socio-economic sector. Digital transformation has resulted in changes in the skills required for work and life because gone are the days when one was assured of holding a job for a lifetime. With the boom of technology and the internet, most jobs require having more than the required degree or certification. Most jobs require competency skills to match the changing industry demands. As Saudi’s vision 2030 promotes the idea of learning for working, it focuses on innovation in advanced technologies and entrepreneurship. This necessitates the need to have more vocational and technical programs that will impart learners with the use of technologies, information and communication systems, innovation, production, and entrepreneurial skills (Baqadir, et al. 553). Saudis TVET education system aims at producing learners who can use entrepreneurial skills to startup their own businesses instead of relying fully on employment as a source of income. Also, it is important to have young minds are creative and innovative so that they can make a difference not only in Saudi but in the whole world. With innovative young minds, the Saudi economy will be able to attract foreign investors who are willing to invest in innovative projects and ideas.
The vocational and technical education system ensures that everyone can access the training they desire without any form of discrimination. Technical and vocational training institutions in Saudi have bridged the education gap by ensuring that both male and female citizens of Saudi can access quality education. Previously, women were underrepresented in employment opportunities, especially in technical fields but through technical and vocational training, they have been able to take up more technical roles. Also, a vibrant youth is important in achieving Saudi’s 2030 goals, and the government has invested in vocational and technical training to produce a vibrant youth workforce. Since the majority of Saudi’s population consists of people below 25 years, the government has prioritized harnessing youths’ energy by equipping them with the soft and hard skills they need to promote economic development. This has ensured that Saudi has a talented youth workforce that is productive towards achieving Saudi’s economic goals.
Equality in education is a critical tool towards achieving a thriving economy in both South Korea and Saudi Arabia. Both nations understand that creating equal opportunities for all will ensure that everyone contributes to the growth of the economy at their best level. As such, they have aligned policies and supported various institutions that ensure this strategy aligns with their Vision 2030 goals. I propose that each nation should focus on acquiring skills that match their needs to ensure they solve their labor market gaps and foster specialization. This initiative offers a sustainable solution that mutually serves both the unemployed population and boosts the national economy.
Works Cited
Aldossari, Abdulaziz S. “Vision 2030 and reducing the stigma of vocational and technical training
among Saudi Arabian students.” Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training, vol. 12, no. 1, 2020.
Baqadir, Abdullah, et al. “Addressing the skills gap in Saudi Arabia: does vocational education
address the needs of private-sector employers?” Journal of Vocational Education & Training, vol. 63, no. 4, 2011, pp. 551-561.
Donn, Gari, and Yayha A. Manthri. Globalization and Higher Education in the Arab Gulf States.
Symposium Books, 2010.
Ji-Yeon, Lee. “Vocational Education and Training in Korea: Achieving the Enhancement of
National Competitiveness.” Universidad Estatal a Distancia – Institución Benemérita De La Educación Y La Cultura, 2016.
