Designing Industry-Driven Vocational Education: A Competency-Based Case Study from the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Vocational Education, emphasizing the acquisition of competencies related to a job, aligns with requests made by industry for education to focus on employment and an existing skills gap and, the United Arab Emirates vision and strategies for Emiratization. The aim of this study is to understand how vocational programs may be best designed for industry in the United Arab Emirates. The methodology is of a single case study analyzing the design process of a vocational program for local high school leavers. The vocational program is designed for industry within a competency-based educational framework, in close collaboration with industry, blending applied learning with work-integrated learning, following thorough occupational and functional analysis, and a rigorous benchmarking exercise. Recommendations are made for tertiary education institutions to engage in close dialogue with multiple stakeholders and to follow a rigorous process leading to high-quality, industry-driven vocational education.