Dual vocational education and training: Self-reported perception of teachers in Ethiopia

The purpose of this study was to trace the perceived attitudes of trainers about the perception of dual vocational education and training (VET) in Ethiopia by using a survey and Nominal Group Technique (NGT) research design. Data collected from 148 trainers from four Colleges in Addis Ababa were analysed via thematic and descriptive statistical analysis techniques. The findings indicated that vocational trainers positively perceive that dual VET was understood as a model that leads to better training outcomes in the labour market by exposing learners to the real world of work. Nonetheless, trainers perceived that graduates and employers believe that industries were not willing to accept learners for practice in their companies due to the overwhelming number of practitioners and do not use VET to anticipate their current and future skilled human power demands. Lack of industry-supervisors, uncertainty about the future of dual VET, lack of financial resources, and lack of consent between partners in the dual VET system were the most perceived barriers in the implementation of dual VET. The findings of the study call for strong collaboration between partners to establish effective dual VET. Moreover, the study will be motivational for further study since studies around the issue remain scarce.