The emergence of such technological advancements as Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), the Internet of Things (IoTs), Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) has widely transformed both the business and industrial sectors. This has affected the education system around the globe, which has adapted curricula to face up to the rapid changes as we enter the era of the “fourth industrial revolution” or “Industry 4.0”. The education system in ASEAN still lacks a skilled workforce that can keep up with the advances in technology. The capacity of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teachers therefore needs to be enhanced for the planning and implementation of successful innovative teaching and training programmes.

In response to these needs, TVET experts from ASEAN, the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Vocational and Technical Education and Training (SEAMEO VOCTECH) and German experts have jointly identified five priority topics that are required to upgrade the skills of TVET teachers in meeting these industrial changes and strengthening cooperation with the private sector. These training modules are short courses, practical-oriented and currently not available in the ASEAN region, namely: 1) Innovative Teaching and Learning for Industrial Change; 2) Professional Development Training for TVET Teachers; 3) Curriculum Design for Industry 4.0 Work Process; 4) Quality Assurance in TVET Institutions and 5) Partnering with Industry: Industry and TVET Institutions Linkages.

Three workshops were conducted with support from GIZ’s Regional Cooperation Programme in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (RECOTVET) in 2018 to discuss and review the initial ASEAN training modules’ “Fit for Industry 4.0”, “Quality Assurance (QA) in TVET Institutions” and “Industry and TVET Institutions Linkages” concepts.

In 2019, the Community of Practice (CoP) for the training of TVET teachers and managers from ASEAN member states revisited the regional in-service training modules “Fit for Industry 4.0” and the design of Learn and Work Assignments (LWAs). The representatives also provided further insightful recommendations to support development of the content on “Industry & TVET Institution Linkages” and its LWAs.

In addition, RECOTVET will facilitate the development of the training manual and materials for the five regional in-service training modules for training TVET teachers within this year. In close cooperation with SEAMEO VOCTECH, the programme will launch the first regional training of multipliers in August 2019 so that local training institutions and multipliers are able to use the training modules in their institutions and offer their programmes for in-service training of TVET personnel at the national level.