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Vocational Education in the Era of Industry 4.0: An Indonesia Case
Conference Paper · January 2018
DOI: 10.2991/aptekindo-18.2018.10
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Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 201
International Conference on Indonesian Technical Vocational Education and Association (APTEKINDO 2018)
Vocational Education in the Era of Industry 4.0:
An Indonesian Case
Muchlas Samani
Universitas Negeri Surabaya
Surabaya, Indonesia
msamani@unesa.ac.id
Abstract—In coping with the industrial era 4.0, the what students learn in school will possibly become obsolete
concept of ‘competency’ in vocational education must be when their graduates enter the work field. Therefore
converted into ‘capability’ to enable graduates engage students should be able to transform what they learn in
with the latest work patterns. Vocational education must school to face a new work pattern.
be flexible by the application of modular patterns Jim Clifton's article in his private blog entitled
combined with block system. It further becomes an Universities: Disruption is Coming shows that Google and
integrative model that can incorporate both formal and Ernst & Young hire employees without requiring university
non-formal education as well as both school and diploma degrees. Meaning, what have been learned at university is
level. Such an effective yet costless model is packed not too important to Google and Ernst & Young companies.
within CBVED model which is suitable for Indonesian Both companies require other capabilities that are often
context. This study implies that vocational education in extraneous to a major part of university curriculum. That's
Indonesia will have easy accesses to industrial why Clifton says it's very possible that university will lose
partnerships through the implementation of CBVED customers because what is taught does not match with what
model. Besides, the industrial partners will get the the world needs [4].
desired workforce easily.
Clifton argues that vocational education faces a tough
Keywords—competence, capability, flexible, integrative, challenge in industry era 4.0. When university focuses on
CBVED theoretical mastery only and never update it, vocational
education that has been emphasizing on practical skills will
I. INTRODUCTION
be more tremendously affected. It is commonly known that
The definition of vocational education in this paper does automation has replaced many manual jobs, information
not refer to Law Number 20 Year 2003, rather, refers to the technology has replaced clerical work and so on. The
international notion of education, whichs is preparing question is how vocational education must face the
graduates to enter the workforce. In many literatures, such challenge and successfully prepare its graduates to enter the
educational notion is usually called technical and vocational work field [4].
education and training (TVET). Thereby, it includes
education at both school and college level and various forms II. METHOD
of skill courses as well. As the work patterns continue to change fast [1],
The rapid development of technology, especially vocational education graduates should be prepared to be
information technology, has affected the industry era 4.0 able to cope with those changes. They must be equipped
which includes four main characteristics namely cyber- with the ability to transform the skills they possess to fit the
physical system, internet, cloud and cognitive computing. demands of new work patterns. What skills are needed in
These four characteristics lead to very fundamental changes order to deal with those changes? According to existing
in work patterns in an industrial world. World Economic literatures, there are several terms needed to be researched
Forum predicts that until 2020 the currently existing core covering competence, capability, capacity and transferable
skills will have been lost because the work field does not skills.
need them any longer [1]. Along with that, the skills will In the context of vocational and professional education,
emerge a new type of work that would require a different Martin Mulder [5] mentions that professional competence is
skill than what currently exists. Experts predict that changes seen as general, integrated and internalized capabilities to
in work patterns will continue to occur faster [2]. deliver suitable and effective performance (e.g. problem
The change is a challenge especially for vocational solving, realizing innovation, and creating transformation)
education that prepares its graduates to be able to enter the in a certain professional domain, job, role, organizational
rapidly changing employment. In regard to Indonesian context and task situation. In other words, Martin Mulder
context, Vocational High Schools, Polytechnics and interprets that professional competence includes the ability
Diploma Programs must prepare themselves for the to perform self-transformation when facing new work
challenge [3]. Because work patterns change very quickly, patterns, although he does not explain the meaning of
professional competence.
Copyright © 2018, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press. 45
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 201
When Mulder calls an ability as ‘professional call the aspects as learning and innovation skills including
competence’, Hase & Davis and Corbel, Wheelahan, critical thinking and problem solving, communication,
Forward & Darwin rather call it as ‘capability’ [5-7]. Hase collaboration, and creativity and innovation [10]. The
& Davis [6] compare the notion of capability and National Association of Education names the skills as Four
competence by saying that people who know how to learn Cs with the same aspects as those mentioned by Trilling and
are categorized creative, having a high degree of self- Fadel [10,11].
efficacy, able to apply competencies in familiar situations
Samani conducted a meta-analysis of various studies on
and hard working. In comparison to competency, which
21st Century skills and found a formula that workers must be
only involves the acquisition of knowledge and skills,
able to solve problems creatively and work in harmony with
capability is a holistic attribute. According to Hase & Davis,
colleagues [12]. In order to solve problems creatively, the
competency is only appropriate to face familiar situation
persons should be able to search for data and information,
while capability includes the ability to deal with certain
conduct critical analysis of the information and think
situation [6].
creatively to find the best solution. In order to maintain
What is capacity? Corbel, Wheelahan, Forward and good relationships with colleagues, one must be able to
Darwin refer it to an ability to deal with specific situation communicate and cooperate well. Thus, the capacity aspects
while competency is an ability to face familiar situation [7]. eventually lead to creative problem solving and harmonious
According to Hase & Davis and Corbel, Wheelahan, cooperation, of which these two abilities determine the
Forward & Darwin, the capability consists of two parts success of work in the industry era 4.0 [13].
namely occupational competence and capacity [6,7].
Occupational competence is suitable for facing familiar III. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
situations and capacity is for new situation. That is the The rapidly changing work patterns make us difficult to
reason why Hase and Davis and Corbel, Wheelahan, design a vocational education curriculum. Jorgen Moller
Forward and Darwin suggest that vocational education argue that it will be not important how long an education
provides a provision of capability and not competency to lasts, the important thing is that graduates have the ability to
students [6,7]. suit the needs of the world of works [14]. Too specific
vocational education will be easily obsolete. Meanwhile,
In other sides, Nagele and Stalder call capacity as
vocational education that last too long has the risk that the
transferable skills or generic skills [8]. Consequently, skills
learned skills will be obsolete when they graduate and enter
themselves can be used to act efficiently in different real-life
the workforce.
situations. However, Nagele and Stalder mention that
transferable skills are parts of competence, in which Mulder In line with Moller, Yildan Wang suggests vocational
also argues in the same path. The difference only lays on the education should be flexible, so that providing everyone
terms [5, 8]. with the widest opportunity to receive education, training or
retraining in accordance with the needs of the world of work
The term generic skills and occupational skills are also
are important [13]. Modular pattern by considering learning
used by Kemdikbud (MoEC) to explain the concept of life
area will be more effective [15]. The pattern implemented
skills [9]. Generic skills are seen as general and vital that are
with a block system and supported by a good work culture
required by all employees to transfer from one field to
will allow students to acquire full competence. The modular
another. Occupational skills or specific skills are definite
pattern applied to TVET in Germany can be a good material
and are only required for certain occupation.
to refer [16].
That is, it can be concluded that there are two types of
If modular systems are implemented and combined with
abilities in vocational education. First, competency or
multi-entry and multi-exit systems (MEMES), the
occupational competence [7] or specific skills [9] which are
separation of formal and non-formal education in vocational
the ability related to certain areas of expertise and work
education becomes irrelevant [17]. Moreover, using the
patterns. Second, capacity [7] or transferable skills [8] or
principle of recognition of prior learning (RPL) combined
generic skills [9] is a wide-ranging ability required by all
with the application of Indonesia National Qualification
areas of expertise and all work patterns. If both are
Framework (KKNI) makes the separation of Vocational
combined, Mulder [5] calls it professional competence,
High School (SMK) and Polytechnic (Diploma) become less
while Hase & Davis and Corbel, Wheelahan, Forward &
relevant. That is, vocational education in the Industrial era
Darwin name it capability [6,7].
4.0 becomes a flexible and integrated system [18].
In the context of vocational education, the two types of
A modular system combined with MEMES will make
abilities are inseparable like the two sides of a coin.
vocational education more flexible. Students can take the
Students of vocational education must learn occupational
required modules in accordance to the job they want. They
competency according to their field of expertise and also
can retrain another module if the desired job requires it.
must develop their capacity in order to be able to follow the
Thus vocational education becomes very cost effective. As
changing of work patterns.
mentioned by Moller, vocational education should be
In order to develop capacity or transferable skills for understood as an investment either by the government or by
vocational education students, it is important to know the students [14]. The effectiveness should be one of
aspects. The Economist study found five aspects namely considerations in designing education, including vocational
problem solving, team working, communication, critical education [19]. The TAFE (Technical and Further
thinking, and creativity [2]. Meanwhile, Trilling and Fadel
46
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 201
Education) system in Australia can be a good comparison Paper presented to Millennial challenges in management, education,
cybertechnology, and leadership: Association of International. San
for the present study. Diego, 6-8 August 1999.
It should be essentially noted when modular systems and [7] Corbel, Chris, Leesa Wheelahan, Pat Forward, Stephen Darwin.
MEMES are implemented, the purpose of vocational (2014). Building Future Capabilities for Vocational Education.
Victoria: Australia Education Union.
education is no longer being ambiguous. Vocational
[8] Nagele, Christof and Barbara E. Stalder. (2017). “Competence and
education aims to prepare students to enter the workforce the Need for Transferable Skills” in Mulder (Ed) (2017).
and not to continue their education to the university level. It Competence-based Vocational and Professional Education: Bridging
does not mean that vocational education graduates are the World of Work and Education. Switzerland: Springer. Pp. 739-
prohibited from continuing their education to university, 754.
because it is part of human right. However, the public [9] Kemdikbud RI. (2003). Pendidikan Kecakapan Hidup: Konsep dan
Pelaksanaannya. Jakarta: Kemdikbud.
should be informed that in vocational education, students do
[10] Trilling, Bernie & Charles Fadel. (2009). 21st Century Skills:
not have sufficient courses for continuing to pursue further Learning fo Life in Our Times. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons
education to university level. Inc.
[11] National Association of Education. (2013). Preparing 21st Century
IV. CONCLUSION Students for a Global Sociaty. Washington DC: National Association
Since vocational education aims to produce graduates of Education.
who are ready to enter the word of work, then it is essential [12] Samani, Muchlas. (2014). Rethinking Education for 21st Century: An
Indonesia Case. Paper presented at Asaihl International Conference at
as part of economic development of a region or country NTU Singapore, 2-3 December 2014.
[20]. Therefore it should be designed to produce the [13] Wang, Yidan. (2012). Education in a Changing World: Flexibility,
workforce especially those who are required in the related Skills, and Employbality. Washington DC: The World Bank
area [21]. In other words, vocational education development [14] Moller, Jorgen O. (2011). How Asia Can Shape the World: From Era
can be part of the regional development plan. of Plenty to the Era of Scarcities. Singapore: ISEAS Publishing.
[15] Gessler, Michael. (2017). “Area of Learning: The Shift Towards
For Indonesia context with unique geographical Work and Competence Orientation Within the School-based
conditions and very diverse economic potentials, the Vocational Education in the German Dual Apprenticeship Model” in
concept proposed by King and Palmer (2010) is very Mulder, Martin (Ed). Competence-based Vocational and
suitable. Vocational education development is tailored to the Professional Education: Bridging the World of Work and Education.
Switzerland: Springer. Pp. 795-818.
potential of the region, so that it can support each other. On
[16] Samani, Muchlas. (2016). Pendidikan Vokasi di Jerman: Laporan
the other hands, vocational education will ease students to Penelitian Komparatif. Surabaya: Universitas Negeri Surabaya.
get partners for industrial work practices, while the industry [17] MoEC (Ministry of Education and Culture. (1997). Skills Rowards
will also get a workforce that suits their needs. Based on that 2020 for Global Era. Jakarta: Ministry of Education and Culture.
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potential, but for that they have to do it in other areas. This
concept will simultaneously reduce the urbanization caused
by the difficulty of getting jobs in accordance with the area
of expertise being studied.
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