Promoting youths' skills acquisition through experiential learning theory in vocational education and training in South Africa

Introduction

Attracting young people to enrol in different forms of vocational education and training (VET) programmes has been linked to addressing their needs to enable their participation in the socio-economic life in their countries. The VET system has been an important instrument to integrate young people – specifically vulnerable or disadvantaged – into the labour market (Kersh and Huegler, 2019). In this regard, VET has the role of equipping young people with employable skills [1] (Papier, 2016) to succeed in the labour market. Nevertheless, the high rate of youth [2] unemployment (18–35 years old) has forced the providers of VET to use teaching and learning approaches that will help students to acquire real-world skills for immediate employment after graduating (Lantu et al., 2022; Papier, 2016). So, to equip young people with real-world skills, the implementation of VET should focus on hands-on training with appropriate learning approaches.

To ensure that VET programmes help young people gain the required knowledge and skills for their future workplace, learning should occur in real-life and interactive environments. In this connection, experiential learning (EL) is a main ingredient of VET programmes. EL is an important contributor to empowering students with real-world skills for future employment (Huang and Jiang, 2021; Lantu et al., 2022). This article examines the effects of facilitating VET through experiential learning theory (ELT) to promote youths' skills acquisition. It focusses on the unemployed and disadvantaged [3] youths who enrolled on non-school-based VET programmes.

Background of the study

The United Nations General Assembly recognised technical and VET programmes as significant instruments amongst others to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The operational target 4.4 of SDGs reads that, “By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship” (United Nations, 2015, p. 17). However, Milana et al. (2017) argue that the target lacks details about the learning approaches to achieve the technical and vocational skills for wage employment or entrepreneurship. In other words, target 4.4 concerns the outcomes in terms of skills acquisition leading to wage or self-employment of the young trainees. In a country, the providers of technical and vocational training programmes have a responsibility to use relevant learning methods to help unemployed youths to acquire employability skills.

Though skills shortages and skills mismatches are not new in the academic debates, their severity has increased in some countries along with the economic growth in recent years. For instance, many Asian countries have been suffering from a shortage of skilled workers (United Nations, 2020). In countries where youth unemployment is high due to the lack of employability skills and skills mismatch, VET programmes and skills development are used as a solution to the problem. The reason is that the training delivery and learning approaches are practice-oriented to develop job-related skills and directed to the real world of work (Eicker et al., 2016; Lolwana, 2016). The Asian Development Bank (2009, p. 1) defines skills development as “the acquisition of knowledge and skills for the world of work - the practical competencies, know-how, and attitudes necessary to perform a trade or occupation in the labour market”. This definition suggests that VET is the source of skills acquisition.

In the context of Sub-Saharan Africa, acquiring employable skills can reduce unemployment and poverty. Sub-Saharan African countries face challenges of youth unemployment due to economic factors and the lack of job-related skills enabling individuals to become employed in the informal sector at a low level (ILO, 2020; Eicker et al., 2016). Skills development is a significant instrument for unemployed young people willing to enter the informal economy and raise their productivity and incomes (Akoojee, 2019; UNESCO, 2021). However, the delivery of skills development necessitates teaching and learning approaches that develop job-related skills and competencies for the real world of the workplace.

This article is part of a research project on non-school-based VET programmes offered to unemployed and disadvantaged youths in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, South Africa. According to the national and provincial labour market (Statistics South Africa [Stats SA], 2021), in KZN province, the unemployment rate amongst youth (15–34 years) is 55% compared to 21.5% amongst adults (35–64 years). The youth unemployment rate of KZN province is 48.7% (Statistics South Africa [Stats SA], 2021). In this connection, the non-school-based VET programmes consist of providing short courses to unemployed and disadvantaged youths to allow them to find jobs at entry skills levels. It is important to note that the programmes are accredited by the Sectoral Education and Training Authority (SETA), regulated by the Department of Higher Education and Training of South Africa.

Problem statement and study objectives

There is a global concern about the effectiveness of VET programmes in developing job-related skills and competencies for real-world environments for disadvantaged and unemployed youths. Studies point to the lack of practice of the skills in the form of school-based and workplace-based learning to help students gain experience (Abdullah et al., 2019; Lolwana, 2016). Some studies linked the lack of practical activities to the low-quality instructional materials in classrooms, lack of equipment in the workshops for carrying out practical work and involvement of external companies in workplace learning (Bratti et al., 2022; Da Costa, 2016; Lolwana, 2016). As an element of ELT, practice means that students should try to improve skills by observing what they are doing wrong and creating strategies to do better, hence gaining skills. Therefore, this article examines the effects of facilitating VET through EL theory to promote youths' skills acquisition.

The objectives of this article are to determine:

1. The effects of material resources on the facilitation of VET through an EL approach for skills acquisition.

2. The types of school-based and workplace-based EL approaches used to help trainees practice skills.

3. The extent to which EL contributed to empowering trainees with real-world skills for future employment.

The article is significant because it provides new insights into the use of ELT in VET programmes to improve their effectiveness in developing job-related skills and competencies for real-world environments for disadvantaged and unemployed youths. The findings will motivate the providers of skills development for unemployed youths to use ELT in designing course curricula, planning resources and directing teaching-learning approaches to help trainees acquire skills and competencies to perform tasks close to real-work situations.

Experiential learning theory as a theoretical framework

The article utilises ELT to examine VET programmes for youths' skills acquisition. EL is learning by being involved in experience. Kolb (1984, p. 41) defines EL as a learning method that is based on “learning by doing, experiencing and reflecting”. Kolb (1984, p. 41) further notes that ELT perceives learning as “the process in which knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results from the combination of grasping and transforming experience”. So, EL is a collection of teaching-learning strategies that empower students to become actively involved in practical activities through doing. The strategies entail helping students to connect the learning from the real-world situation by applying the ideas, concepts and theories to the interactive setting (Greene, 2011). In connection with the present study, the argument is that by participating in real-life activities during skills development, young people can transform the knowledge learnt from the classroom and training manuals into their understanding.

The core characteristic of skills development is learning by doing, experiencing and reflecting. For the skills acquisition to happen, learning must be characterised by learning by doing or hands-on learning. Kolb (1984) developed the “experiential learning cycle” with four stages of learning which are relevant to the process of skills development. All four stages are important for active learning to happen, though there is no order for the starting of the stage of the cycle (Herod, 2012). Figure 1 presents four stages of ELT according to Kolb (1984, p. 41).

The Cycle of Experiential Learning (Figure 1) demonstrates that learning is a continuous process and does not stop after achieving outcomes. Dewey (in Kolb and Kolb, 2011, p. 43) argues that “to improve learning in education, the focus should be on engaging students in a process that improves their learning abilities”. Each stage of the EL Cycle is briefly explained below.

Concrete experience (CE): This stage entails exposing students to experience tangible matters. The stage consists of motivating students to participate in active learning instead of passively receiving information from a facilitator (Herod, 2012; Kolb, 1984). To acquire new knowledge and skills, they participate in real-life activities or actions while the facilitator or practical mentors guide them in the process of gaining concrete experience.

Reflective observation (RO): After the involvement in concrete experience, during this stage, students reflect on the experience to develop new skills or new ways of thinking (Kolb, 1984). The stage comprises thinking critically about the experience. The student thoroughly reflects on that experience (Kolb et al., 1999) by noticing what happened and relating to experience and conceptual understandings.

Abstract conceptualisation (AC): During this stage, students connect the experience to the theory or concepts learnt from textbooks or in the classroom (Kolb et al., 1999). The task is for the student to conceptualise a theory from what he/she observed during the experience.

Active experimentation (AE): This stage consists of applying the new knowledge and skills in real-life situations and new workplace conditions (Kolb, 1984; Kolb et al., 1999). To accomplish this stage, the student will test a theory or plan for an upcoming experience (Villarroel et al., 2020). This means the focus is on the practical application and implication of the experience to the “ground” or reality. After explaining the stage of the EL Cycle, the next section briefly selected types of EL mostly used in skills development.

The contribution of ELT to vocational education and training programmes

EL is a major component of skills development programmes. Butler et al. (2019) describe this link by stating that EL enables students to participate in a tangible experience, reproduce that experience and other evidence, cultivate theories in line with experiences and apply the acquired skills in a new work situation. A study conducted by Abdullah et al. (2019) in the context of Malesia revealed that the use of EL in VET empowered students to acquire skills. The results further showed that “learning outcomes have a practical influence on the student's applying skills in a new environment” (Abdullah et al., 2019, p. 8). These findings suggest that the application of ELT in VET yields good results in the process and outcome of learning, which are real-world skills.

In the context of skills development for youths, Lantu et al. (2022) assessed the role of ELT in improving entrepreneurial training programmes. The findings showed that the application of EL improved the effectiveness of the entrepreneurial training programmes by helping the students to start owning small businesses. EL improved the effectiveness of entrepreneurial skills training because the students experienced working in a real business setting (Lantu et al., 2022). The students admitted that the programme effectively improved their entrepreneurial skills to start their businesses. The study concludes that the skills development programme also “prepared the students to enter the workplace and produce qualified human capital to meet industry needs” (Lantu et al., 2022, p. 122).

In the context of Sweden, Gustavsson and Thunqvist (2019) examined the role that ELT plays in VET in enabling students to utilise skills and knowledge to work. The findings revealed that during the training in the school workshops, the students faced content and work methods comprising contextualised “real-life” tasks. This is because the training was characterised by “intense interaction between the students and experienced vocational teachers, tools, and machines” (Gustavsson and Thunqvist, 2019, p. 90). Workplace-based learning allowed students to practice skills in workplace conditions under the supervision of experienced teachers or mentors who helped them to apply skills in the real workplace and gain specific industrial experience (Gustavsson and Thunqvist, 2019). The study concludes that the school-based environments of learning prepare the students for entrance into the workplaces, while workplace-based conditions “provide students with the opportunity to obtain specific industry knowledge and to engage in interactions in the workplace” (Gustavsson and Thunqvist, 2019, p. 997).

Effects of material resources on the use of experiential learning theory

The above findings from Gustavsson and Thunqvist (2019) demonstrate that the availability of material resources has an impact on the application of ELT. In this context of Sweden, training equipment facilitates a learning interaction between the students and tools, machines and teachers (Gustavsson and Thunqvist, 2019). The study reveals that facilities and equipment constituted enabling factors for students to gain work experience and specific industrial “know-how” during workplace-based learning (Gustavsson and Thunqvist, p. 92). In other words, the existence of instructional equipment inside and outside schools or workshops helps teachers to use EL approaches.

However, other studies on the topic highlight some challenges facing institutions in implementing VET programmes through ELT (Da Costa, 2016; Lolwana, 2016; Rudhumbu, 2021). For instance, in Middle East countries, the United Nations (2020) noted two major challenges hindering the use of EL approaches, namely, an insufficient supply of equipment at training institutions (workshops, instructional tools and machines) and linkage with external stakeholders who could help students with workplace-based learning. The lack of material resources negatively impacted the use of EL methods to help the student to acquire skills and competencies. In the same Middle East countries, UNICEF and International Labour Organisation (2016) pointed out that the VET curricula in colleges were not effectively implemented due to the two challenges mentioned above. Very few colleges used EL approaches such as practicums, on-the-job training, situated learning, place-based learning, and workplace learning.

The insufficiency of training facilities and material resources are key challenges in promoting youths' skills acquisition through ELT in VET programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa (Lolwana, 2016; Da Costa, 2016). The findings from a study conducted by Rudhumbu (2021) revealed that the training courses were mostly delivered by using lecturer-centred teaching strategies due to the lack of material resources, hence negatively impacting the use of ELT in VET programmes. In other words, there was very little use of innovative EL strategies.

Research methodology

The present article is qualitative in nature and research design mainly entails a qualitative research design and research method (Fouché and Bartley, 2011; Laverty, 2016; Nieuwenhuis, 2012) to allow the researcher to view the reality as is experienced from the inside out by the trainees and training centre managers on an important data for a thorough understanding. The reason for using qualitative research design is that the characteristic of ELT as the theoretical framework and the sources of the data required the use of a qualitative approach (Creswell, 2014; Ponce and Pagán-Maldonado, 2015). However, the study used quantitative research design as complementary to obtain numeric data on selected information such as the biographic profile of the trainees, training courses and trainees' views on material resources. Another reason was to make a comparison across these variables (Creswell, 2014; Rahman, 2017).

Ethical considerations

The researcher observed the principles of research ethics before and during the data collection process. An ethical approval letter was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of the university prior to data collection.

Findings

Discussions of findings

The availability of material resources for school-based learning helped trainees to go through the stages of the ELT cycle and create knowledge. These findings concur with those in Gustavsson and Thunqvist’s (2019) study in Sweden where the facilities and equipment enabled students to gain work experience. However, in the context of Africa, studies conducted by Papier (2016) and Rudhumbu (2021) reveal that the lack of materials, and equipment in the workshops was the main challenge to implement EL in the VET colleges. The present findings suggest that school-based learning (whether in classrooms or workshops) was effective in helping trainees gain skills because of a sufficient supply of materials and equipment like those found in the workplace.

The use of a type of school-based or workplace-based EL to help trainees acquire practical skills depended on the training course a trainee studied and its purpose. The types of school-based learning were simulations, small-group work and workshop practicums. As a result, this practice-oriented method (whether in classrooms or workshops) might have empowered the trainees to gain the skills and abilities required in the labour market (Gustavsson and Thunqvist, 2019). The present findings differ from those reported in the previous studies on VET (Bratti et.al. 2022; Da Costa, 2016; Lolwana, 2016) that the skills training programmes were not effective because the learning approaches were theory-based. However, in the present study, the learning process was active by involving tangible matters in the workshops and on projects (concrete experience) also involving reflective observation and abstract conceptualisation.

Depending on the training course, workplace-based learning entailed internships, on-the-job training micro-placement and practicums in companies. These types of EL helped the trainees acquire skills and knowledge in their respective training courses. The findings suggest that the types of EL helped the trainees to develop their abilities to apply the acquired skills and knowledge in real-world conditions (Huang and Jiang, 2021). During workplace-based learning, the trainees familiarised themselves with the career within their field of training. As found in other studies (Abdullah et al., 2019; Sam and Van der Sijde, 2014), workplace-based learning approaches developed the skills and abilities of the trainees to perform tasks in their future workplaces. Based on the findings above, these types of EL not only enable trainees to acquire job-related skills but also facilitate a smooth transition from school to employment.

Trainees' views suggest that EL contributed to their empowerment in terms of real-world skills for future employment. The workplace-based learning under the guidance of experienced mentors was highly important because it helped them to gain specific real-world skills. These findings support the argument of Akoojee (2019) and Drewery et al. (2020) that learning approaches using workshops, on-the-job training and workplace-based learning contribute to the acquisition of job-related skills. Similarly, a study by Abdullah et al. (2019) proved that the use of ELT in VET programmes enabled trainees to gain marketability for their income-generating.

Conclusions

EL is a major component of skills development programmes. This article attempts to examine the effects of facilitating VET through EL theory to promote youths' skills acquisition. Firstly, the availability of material resources for school-based learning enhanced the use of EL as trainees were able to acquire knowledge and skills through their involvement in tangible matters. Secondly, there was a strong integration between school-based learning and workplace-based learning in the real world of work. The EL process mostly occurred in the workshops and companies where trainees were placed to gain work experience.

Thirdly, the use of ELT in VET programmes helped the trainees to gain real-world skills, hence contributing to their empowerment in terms of work experience and competence for their future employment. Based on the findings, the study concludes that ELT is an effective instrument to promote VET programmes for disadvantaged and unemployed youths. The use of EL appears to be a solution to the skills mismatch between skills development programmes and industries. Its application in VET is useful in helping a smooth school-to-work transition for the trainees because it fosters the competencies and abilities of trainees to perform activities like those in their future workplaces.

Contribution of the article and practical implications for the society

This article contributes to the body of knowledge by establishing a solid base for the evidence-informed practice of the effects of facilitating the VET programme through ELT to promote skills acquisition for the employment of unemployed and disadvantaged youths. The socio-economic implication of the article is that skills development plays an important role in poverty reduction. Investing in the skills development of citizens is vital to raise the incomes of poor groups and to reduce poverty (ILO, 2018). Although the causes of unemployment have also to do with economic factors in a country, skills development is an essential ingredient in developing capacities for labour market entry and increased income generation of a vulnerable group of people. As mentioned earlier, the public and private sectors should attract young people to acquire skills from VET programmes to address their needs to participate in the socio-economic life in their countries.