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Towards an internationally employable workforce
Mark Lawrence, the Director/CEO of the Laem Chabang School of Engineering spoke recently on the need to produce a seamless merger between vocational
education training (VET), with its industry based learning and credits, with higher university education, resulting in an “internationally employable” industry workforce.
The forthright education professional said, “What industry is trying to achieve from graduate students is an ability to think and do appropriately in the
work place. Traditionally the market has been fed by firstly vocational education training - VET - (guilds craftsmen) and secondly higher education degrees - university
based.”
 Mark Lawrence, the Director/CEO
of the Laem Chabang School of Engineering
“Currently the VET sector generates a set of people who can do, but who have no way of transferring their skills to the higher education sector in a way
that can be recognized. Also the higher education sector does not recognize practical skills because in itself it is all about higher intellectual learning. However, higher
education does not create ‘job ready’ people, and in addition, no credit is given to students who complete only two years of a degree.”
Using a model designed to overcome the shortcomings of both types of education, the Australian campuses of Swinburne University are introducing into
overseas campuses a degree programme that has a close association with industry ... states Mark Lawrence.
On the local front, the Swinburne LCSE is a more global concept - trying to create a number of opportunities for students and staff to move around and be
more international. “What we aim for at Swinburne LCSE is an employable student. Merging a seamless path between technical VET training and higher education. We want to
create a global - not a colonial, education system. The idea is that a student can go to the USA, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Australia, and live and work successfully in a
culture not their own. We aim to create an association with different universities, with a system of frequent learning points accredited within a network of other
universities. The aim is to try to make people understand that learning is a lifelong process, as the world becomes more global and there are more opportunities for people to
travel and work. If you subscribe to the idea that education is a lifetime process you should be able to make yourself better qualified and more readily employable. Hence the
need for the Swinburne learning network and a frequent learning points system with other universities. Laem Chabang School of Engineering, a joint venture with TS group in
Bangkok and Swinburne University of Australia are trying to create an opportunity for young people that is modern, relevant and has a real employment outcome. This is an
opportunity for business to be involved in education. What we need are partners who can educate the country or region where we contribute practical know-how to the workplace.
What we need them to bring is their infrastructure and staffing.”
“What we aim to achieve is to establish this network system worldwide. LCSE commenced in 1998, Sarawak in 2000, Vietnam in 2001, with the U.S.A to follow
in 2002 and Europe in 2004.”
So that is the Swinburne plan for the future. Is a shake-up really necessary? “Yes,” say people such as Dr. Charles Schwietert commenting on an
enlightening survey of 588 companies in greater Bangkok in October last year by Asian Market Research. Dr. Charles Schwietert states, “International companies based in
Thailand, and Thai companies under foreign top management are not content with the quality of business school in Thai universities. Although there is a lot of unemployment of
business school graduates, the researched companies have difficulty finding suitable young executives and staff to meet their standards.”
 Laem Chabang School of
Engineering
The survey found that the respondents thought that business education in Thailand is currently old fashioned. Not enough emphasis is given to
globalization, international trade management and economics; the English language skills are very low and far behind international standards, and knowledge of marketing,
management, finance and IT receive a low rating in the survey.
“Students know exactly the economic theories from Adam Smith to Milton Friedman, but ask them, ‘What can be done if the Thai Military Bank
collapses’, and they watch you as if you come from Mars. What you get are kids with a reasonable general knowledge but without any practical experience. The survey clearly
shows that there is hardly any contact between the Thai academic world and the international business community.”
The results of the Asia market research survey correspond with the results of two other investigations. Strategic Intelligence, a business research firm in
Singapore concluded, “The Thai educational system will lag far behind its Asian counterparts in ten years. Thailand’s educational system has been unprepared for the
modern era and its reform efforts have been implemented with little foresight or direction.”
The prestigious business magazine AsiaWeek put Thai universities at the bottom of the classification list, with the best Thai university, Thammasat ranked
in 51st place. “The country has few teachers who meet international standards in computer skills or English proficiency,” AsiaWeek warns, “Thai schools and universities
fall behind the majority of their SE Asian counterparts who have targeted their education to specific sectors and are more advanced in IT.”
In conclusion, Dr. Charles Schwietert reported, “The respondents of the Asian Market Survey unanimously appreciated the value and industry employability
of students who had graduated abroad. 75% of the Thai top elite in finance, politics, journalism, medicine and economics are foreign trained. During the 1997 economic crisis,
this academic tourism practically came to an end. Nowadays foreign universities are beginning to set up branches in Thailand.”
There is a perceived need. So what can be done right here and now? The Laem Chabang School of Engineering, Swinburne University’s campus in Thailand,
looks to be offering new options for obtaining “real” international qualifications with a career and skills focussed curriculum. Their claim is of education that leads to
employment, with paid industry based learning with pathways and credit transfers between University and TAFE. Programmes that are available in 2001 include, elementary level
and pre-intermediate level, and 1 year certificate, 1.5 year diploma, 2 years higher diploma and 2 + 2 bachelor degrees in the fields of engineering, computing, electronics,
applied science, business and international trade. For further enquiries phone 66-38- 490487 -92 or Fax 66-38-490489. Email: [email protected]
and Website www.swinburne.ac.th
GIS students survice three days in the wilds
Twenty-two children from years 5 and 6 at Garden International School spent three days recently in the wilds north of Ban Chang on a challenging and exciting
outdoor education camp with the YWCA. Trained staff from Bangkok came down to ensure that the children and the accompanying staff had an exciting but safe three-day adventure
away from the classroom routine.
 The ‘Wild Ones’
Skills of teamwork, trust and sheer bravery were tested as the children engaged in activities as varied as abseiling, kayaking, archery, “playing fox”,
rock climbing and hiking. All the children outshone themselves and there were some outstanding moments of courage, and some scary ones.
With their T-shirts proclaiming, “Three Days in the Wild”, the children did their best to master all the challenges laid down for them and by the end of
the three days everybody had succeeded at absolutely everything, making them and their teachers really proud of their achievements.
With Mr. Sly, the Principal, present at the final assembly, the children were praised and commended for outstanding displays of the following:
Natchida, Rin, Katie, Christopher & Sebastian for their determination Sharmila, Arpit & Purit for showing responsibility Punch (“the Dude”) for
his personality Yamura, Naomi, Raymond, Purit, Ankit & Alice for their enthusiasm and smiles Sebastian & Christopher for their teamwork Erika, Ben Christine &
Winnie for being supportive and Ben & Fiona for being all-round participators!
Congratulations also to the following for the individual events:
Archery - Pierre & Erika
Rock climbing - Christopher, Rin, Channy, Fiona & Ben
Abseiling - Alice & Iris
Great fun was had by all, as the photographs show, and some valuable lessons in courage were learnt by everybody.
Outstanding results for ISR at FOBISSEA games
The International School of the Regents (ISR) has been a member of the Federation of British International Schools in South East Asia (FOBISSEA) for some
time. This group of over twenty schools from the length and breadth of South East Asia, from Seoul to Jakarta, from Bangkok to Japan, meet on a regular basis for sporting,
cultural, musical and professional exchanges and competitions.
 ISR swimmers Emma, Helen, Jenny
and Apple show off their medals.
The largest of these gatherings, with almost a thousand participants, is the annual Secondary Games which recently took place in Kuala Lumpur. Athletics,
swimming, basketball, football and netball events took place in facilities originally built to house the Commonwealth Games.
ISR sent a team of twenty-six students to the games in order to compete in every category; being one of the smallest schools in the federation, it was
thought that medals might have been hard to come by, considering the very high standard of competition.
However, much to everyone’s surprise and delight, not only did ISR emerge as one of the top-ranking schools, but also had amongst their team the very best
competitor at the games. Emma Myers won eight gold medals, an outstanding and unique tally which will possibly remain unbeaten for years to come. ISR also had the distinction
of being the first school to win gold in both senior girls team events, basketball and netball.
 ISR athletes Army, Joe, Boat and
Harry.
Amongst the many other members of the ISR team who achieved great success were Helen Ball (6 gold and 2 silver), Murielle Rakotondrajao (5 gold), Jenny Ball
(5 gold and 3 silver), Michelle Eaktarewut (4 gold and 2 silver) and Anchalle Kitchutchawangun (4 gold and 1 silver).
At the prize-giving ceremony, other schools were astonished at the success of such a small school whose final tally was 19 individual gold, 2 team gold, 16
individual silver and 9 individual bronze medals.
The head of P.E. at the ISR, Mr David Williams, responded by citing the dedicated and professional commitment of his fellow teachers, the wonderful
facilities provided at ISR, the months of preparation prior to the games (with thanks to our friends at GIS and ISE) and the excellent manner in which the students had
conducted themselves.
Copyright 2001 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected] |
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