Twenty-three multipliers from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Teacher Training Institutions from 9 ASEAN countries and Timor Leste are ready to develop strategic didactical projects to develop skilled workers’ trainers for Industry 4.0 and Digitalisation.

The multipliers are crucial to increasing the pool of skilled industrial workers to meet the demands of business and industry, particularly in manufacturing technology and automation. TVET is recognised as an important element to close skills gaps and reduce youth unemployment.

The first training of multipliers (regional trainers of the trainers) of the regional in-service training modules for the ASEAN region “Fit for Industry 4.0” on the topic “Innovative Teaching and Learning for Industrial Changes due to Industry 4.0” was completed on 16 August 2019. The module focused on key components of Industry 4.0 and innovative technical and didactical principles and its approach such as problem-based learning, student-centred learning and self-reliant learning. Those new innovative learning methods are based on how to create the teaching methods that reinforce learners’ ability to think and do by themselves with provided guidance. The multipliers will then adapt and tailor the knowledge and skills to suit their own countries’ context.

During the two-week training, the multipliers visited Kamon manufacturing factory, a Thai medium enterprise, and DENSO Thailand to understand the cooperation with industry and the demand for the competencies of the future workforce. The training at the Thai–German Institute in Chonburi province provided them with technical knowledge and competence to adapt and implement smart factory and digitalisation procedures in companies and training institutions.

The closing ceremony was held on 16 August 2019 in the presence of the Deputy Director of Administration and Communication, SEAMEO Secretariat Bangkok, Mr. Prasert Tepanart, Senior Professional Human Resource Officer, Office of Vocational Education Commission (OVEC), Dr. Athippatai Potang, the training course trainers, the Deputy Director for Professional Affairs and Research Manager/Specialist, SEAMEO VOCTECH Regional Centre, Dr. Paryono and Prof. Dr. Georg Spoettl, University Bremen and German experts in Industry 4.0.

Mr. Phoemsak Suksiri, Senior Manager, Process Automation Division, Machinery Automation & Robotics Center, Thai-German Institute said: “My participation in this training will help me bring new knowledge and experience to developing training and also provide knowledge to vocational teachers. When I combine that new knowledge with my experience and the project associated with the government, I will be able to support teachers to have a better understanding of every level of Industry 4.0. As we will learn real-life experiences of the industry and apply it in the course design and to methods of transmission to strengthen the capacities of vocational teachers in Thailand, we will be able to produce personnel and technicians to meet the needs and achieve the rapid development of the industrial sector.”

Mr. Michael Edinone Gayona, Senior TESD Specialist, Green Technology Center/ NITESD, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) said: “After the training, a multiplier programme is being organized to help our TVET staff through innovative teaching and learning, quality assurance and quality TVET development as well as to maximize the competency of TVET teachers and managers of TVET institutions to keep up with the changes in industry.”

After the completion of the first in-service training, the first multipliers continued with the second training module, Fit for Industry 4.0 on Professional Development Training for TVET Teachers, which was held from 19 – 27 September 2019 at the German-Malaysia Institute in Malaysia.

Other modules including Curriculum Design for Industry 4.0 Work Process; Quality Assurance in TVET Institutions and Partnering with Industry and Industry and TVET Institutions Linkages will take place in October and November this year.

Thailand’s Office of Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) supports the replication of training of multipliers at the national level. In September 2019, OVEC trained 60 TVET teachers in two batches together with the course multipliers. The first batch ran from 12 – 14 September 2019 with a focus on introduction and key components of Industry 4.0 for regular TVET teachers. The second batch from 16 – 18 September provided TVET teachers with technical background in the mechanical, processing, and electrical fields for an intensive course content on Industry 4.0 and the smart factory.