Unveiling the Dynamics of Vocational Training Sustainability: Insights from a Field Study

Abstract

The purpose of the research seeks to examine the impact of trainee demographics, psychological attributes, social dynamics, and organizational influences on the sustainability of vocational training outcomes. The data were collected through structured questionnaires from 255 respondents who were ex-trainees of 6 vocational organizations of district Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Pakistan. The selection of this location was primarily motivated by the authors' convenient access to data, their intimate familiarity with the local culture and context and generalizability of the research to southern part of the province. The study's outcomes indicate that specific demographic factors, such as belonging to the 31-40 age group (2.62 ± 0.92 min, p = 0.000), possessing a bachelor's degree (4.2667± .65 min, p= .000), being unmarried (3.6±1.13 min, p=.000), and having a guardian employed as a skilled worker (2.6462± .83 min, p= .000), exhibit’ a statistically significant influence (p <.05) on the maintenance of skills. Furthermore, the result reveals that organizational, social, and psychological influences have moderate positive and significant associations with the sustainability of vocational training. Our research can provide valuable insights to practitioners and policymakers of international developmental organizations, non-governmental vocational organizations, and training institutes involved in candidate selection for training programs. Specifically, it can assist organizations in identifying individuals who are more likely to sustain the acquired skills in the future and leverage them for their benefit.