TITLE:
Valuing Skills for the Future: Exploring High School Students’ Perceptions and Competencies in Technical and Vocational Education and Training Program
AUTHORS:
Bocheng Lei, Muhd Khaizer Omar, Qing Yang
KEYWORDS:
Knowledge, Skill, Attitude, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.5,
May
26,
2026
ABSTRACT: The primary purpose of this study was to explore how students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) toward Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) influence their acceptance of it, while also measuring the levels of KSA and TVET acceptance among students. The research aimed to answer key questions regarding the levels of acceptance, knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and to investigate the correlations between these variables. A quantitative methodology was employed, involving a survey of 377 senior high school students from 13 schools in Yuhua District, China. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods to assess levels and relationships. The findings revealed that a significant number of students demonstrated positive attitudes and high levels of KSA, yet the correlation between KSA and acceptance was relatively weak. Notably, while all three components knowledge, skills, and attitudes showed a positive relationship with TVET acceptance, knowledge and attitudes had only a slight influence. Skills, however, exhibited a moderately low impact on students’ acceptance of TVET. Students with stronger practical skills and more favorable attitudes toward TVET were more likely to express interest and a willingness to participate in TVET courses compared to other factors. These findings propose the importance of emulating a supportive learning environment that balances both the theoretical and practical dimensions of TVET, ensuring students are better equipped to engage with and appreciate the value of vocational education.