Dr. Lorenzo Guadamuz gave a conference entitled “Facing the future of the fourth and fifth industrial revolution: For what and for whom is Technical Vocational Training (TVET)?”, sponsored by the National Institute of Technical Vocational Training (Infotep), in which he analyzed various factors that are necessary to adapt TVET to the advances of the digital era.
Introducing the speaker, the general director of Infotep, Rafael Santos Badía, said that Guadamuz would develop his presentation around what should be the philosophical basis of TVET, in light of the current changes.
“This topic represents a challenge for the academic community, for the business community and for the political community, which must be aware that the changes taking place in the world today, with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, are knocking on the door of leaders,” said Santos Badía.
In his speech, the education expert said that Technical Vocational Training needs to renew, for the next 30 years, its philosophy, contents, methodology and the way of teaching, in order to remain a solid, good, efficient institution, adapted to the new times.
Guadamuz gave as an example, that while the business sector is advancing at an accelerated pace, TVET is not advancing in the same way, to respond to the needs of this sector and of society in general, so it needs more support from the authorities.
“A large company is free to buy the latest equipment, but no matter how much effort it makes, the training institutions are limited because there is a purchasing and contracting law that does not allow them to advance at the pace of the requirements of the national economy,” explained the specialist.
Guadamuz indicated that companies at this time are more interested in hiring personnel who are certified, trained to perform a job, such as graduates of dual training.
“Large companies are not interested in degrees, they are looking for certified people, accreditations, trained workers to perform a task, and, consequently, they have to respond to this need and go beyond traditional courses and diplomas,” he said.
Lorenzo Guadamuz stated that we have to respond to the technological advances in all occupations; train, form, update, but via upskilling and reskilling mechanisms, that is, update the skills and competencies that the worker has and retrain him.
“Those who are employed will need to be updated, which is what we call upskilling, and those who are unemployed -because they lost their jobs- will have to be retrained”, Guadamuz pointed out.
He also analyzed some factors that, in his opinion, should be taken into account in a revision of the TVET of the future, and referred to the origins of TVET, which emerged several centuries after higher education.
He addressed the topic related to the functions of TVET, among which he cited research, applied to laboratories and workshops; extension, which has to do with entrepreneurship and consultancy to large and small companies. Also, social responsibility with vulnerable groups.
Mr. Emilio Mínguez, rector of the Universidad del Caribe (Unicaribe), was in charge of the welcoming remarks. Also present were Ligia Amada Melo, former Minister of Education and Maira Morla, General Director of Infotep, among other personalities.
About Guadamuz
Lorenzo Guadamuz Sandoval is Costa Rican and holds a Ph.D. in Administration and Planning from the University of Montreal. He is a specialist in Informatics, Curriculum and Technologies Applied to Education.
He has been an international consultant in countries such as Mexico, Canada, Guatemala, Costa Rica, France, Brazil, Peru and the Dominican Republic.
He was chief technician in the Ten-Year Education Plan (1990s) and in the Ten-Year Higher Education Plan (2008). He has led large ambitious projects of software applied to education.
Source: Presidencia.gob.do
