A Process of Development Vocational Skills for Youth through the Collaboration with Universities and Community: Community of Ancient City of Kamphaeng Saen

Abstract

          This research aimed to 1) study the challenges and needs in developing vocational skills for youth in the community of small schools, 2) develop a vocational skill development process plan for youth with the participation of the government, universities, and the community, and 3) examine the outcomes of the youth vocational skill development process. The study involved 20 participants selected purposefully from three groups: 1) school representatives, including one administrator, three teachers, one staff member, and five students; 2) university representatives, comprising four lecturers; and 3) community representatives, including one community leader and five parents. The research was conducted in two stages: 1) planning the development process, where stakeholders collaboratively designed a vocational skill development process for youth in small schools, and 2) evaluating the outcomes, involving 30 youth participants from the community who volunteered for the process. Quantitative data were collected through tests, skill measurement forms, and questionnaires, and analyzed using basic statistics and t-tests. Qualitative data were gathered via observation, interviews, and focus groups and analyzed using content analysis techniques. The findings revealed that: 1) small schools faced challenges such as limited budgets, insufficient educational equipment, and a shortage of teachers; 2) the developed vocational skill development plan consisted of two activities: 2.1) agricultural community resource analysis and 2.2) youth-led tourism initiatives; and 3) the outcomes of these activities showed that 3.1) youth achieved significantly higher post-activity scores at a 0.05 statistical level, 3.2) youth demonstrated the highest levels of group work skill performance, and 3.3) youth expressed the highest levels of satisfaction with the activities. Additionally, 4) reflections on the process highlighted its effectiveness in youth development, with suggestions for continued research.