This dissertation focuses on the structures and impacts of digital skills in the rapidly transforming labor market. It is rooted in the premise that understanding the value of digital skills requires a relational perspective, acknowledging that these competencies are not isolated, but form complex structures across different occupations. The…

When comparing lifelong learning systems in Europe, Swedish vocational education has been characterised as a statist, school-based ideal type, with strong emphasis on egalitarianism and social citizenship. However, the popularisation and expansion of higher vocational education (HVE), a post-secondary training form that has a mandate to train…

Concerns about the poor outcomes from school-based vocational education, which is heavily concentrated in schools serving disadvantaged communities, has led the State Government of Victoria, Australia, to implement major reforms, including abolishing the Victoria Certificate of Applied Learning. Instead, from 2023, learning in vocational education…

India has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and the highest working-age population. The country has a particular demand for skilled labourers, especially at the semi-skilled level, in various sectors. However, many young people find it challenging to acquire the skills employers demand. To approach the issue of youth…

Economic growth is dependent on well-skilled human capital. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes are paramount in provision of the requisite capabilities which encompass both academic and non-academic skills also known as whole youth development (WYD) skills. Youths leaving training institutions in Kenya experience…

Microcredentials hold promise for connecting people's skillsets with labour market demand in a rapidly changing world of work. They have proliferated in recent years across economic sectors and education levels, reinforcing European and national efforts to understand and develop them better. They can increase the provision of…

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has prompted organizations to embrace digital transformation, demanding that employees possess ICT technical skills to boost productivity. In developing countries, a lack of ICT education exacerbates high youth unemployment, particularly among gender-disadvantaged individuals who struggle to secure jobs…

The persistent skills gap in Africa poses a significant barrier to both economic growth and individual career advancement. While cognitive skills (CS) are well-recognized for their crucial role in enhancing employability, non-cognitive skills (NCS) have received less attention, especially in African labour markets. This systematic review examines…

Purpose: Graduates' employability has been recognised as a complex and multidimensional phenomenon in the theoretical literature. However, some critics have emerged around the lack of relation between structural, contextual and individual dimensions that have been acknowledged as relevant for the understanding of graduates' employability. This…

The Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is a socio-technical, ideological, and rhetorical construction rooted in the neoliberal discourse that reflects key tenets of global capitalism, is believed to have considerable implications for the development of employees in advanced manufacturing environments. This paper aims to explore the ways in which…

Contribution: This article demonstrates and illustrates the implication of design-based learning (DBL) and plan, do, check, and act (PDCA) methodology to foster creativity, critical thinking, collaborative decision making, and communication skills ("C4") with realistic constraints, theory, and practical implementation in higher…

The Labour Party's manifesto aims to reform further and higher education by integrating business, training providers and unions within a governmental effort to ensure a highly trained workforce. Skills England will align training with labour market needs, empower local leaders and enhance support for job seekers. However, the focus on young people…

Purpose: To analyse the degree to which elite student athletes acquire different soft skills (resilience, creativity, proactivity and problem solving) and the role they play in their perceived employability. Design/methodology/approach: The study assessed 163 elite Spanish student athletes. A validated survey to measure perceived employability and…

To aid in the development of a globally competitive workforce, federal policymakers have expressed the priority of preparing students and adults with disabilities to succeed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Yet, no research has examined the extent to which information-processing, literacy, numeracy, and…

This book unravels the 'new reality' of national educational reforms, exploring optimal strategic directions for education and training. Offering a particular emphasis on EU-wide political guidelines, it encompasses lifelong learning across all levels, and it showcases the pivotal role of modern skills in education for reducing poverty, promoting…