Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.

org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.6, No.10, 2015

The Study of Technical and Vocational Education and Training

Needs of Dairy and Cooking Oil Producing Companies in Tehran
Province
Lotfali Jabbari
PhD in Educational management, Tehran University Tehran, Iran

Abstract
Education is not merely provision of information from trainer to learner, but the point is that this person requires
practical educations for some of its tasks. By considering industrialization of manufacturing processes, economic
development cannot happen without considering the Technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
Since the work force in the current period without technical capacities and skills can hardly play its role
efficiently. Thus, by taking into account the importance of such educations, the current research is conducted in
order to detect the technical and vocational educational courses required by dairy production and edible oil
production industries. In fact, the main objective of this research was to specify technical educations required in
industries. In order to fulfill the objectives of study, 4 manufacturing companies (two companies in each
industrial field) were selected. Totally 198 persons were selected as sample of research. Gathering the data
required was performed via questionnaire. In order to analyze the data and determination of technical and
vocational educational needs and prioritizing them the one-sample T test and weight score were applied. The
findings of research have indicated the technical and vocational educational needs and the priority for each
course fore each industry.
Keywords: education, educational needs, technical and vocational trainings, producing companies

Introduction
Nutritious products transferring industries is among the main sectors of industry all over the world
(yazdanbakhsh,2013). Such industries play the role of providing foods safety, developing agriculture as well as
industrial exports (Farahbakhsh and Norouzi, 2002). Food industries in Iran is a newly established one
comparing with other countries, because the first foods industrial production law was approved in 1967.the
active companies in this field are mainly producing chocolates, meat , dairy, cooking oil, beverages, and etc
(Afshari& Ebrhimi, 2011). Now a day, a huge part of economic population of the country is active in this area.
One of the common mechanisms to improve the function of employed population in producing companies is
technical and vocational training (TVET). Such educations are now verified by international organizations such
as UNESCO and ILO (UNESCO-UNEVOC,2006). TVET has its own features in terms of aim, structure, nature,
and method of implementation method. So, they are separable from general and academic educations. “The goal
of such educations is enhancement of knowledge, skill and perception as well as more qualified execution of the
tasks within job realm”(sepahvand, 2013, p.2) .However, TVET should be planned, executed and assessed by
scientific methods in order to guarantee effectiveness. So, one of the main measures is to study and understand
the required TVET for producing companies. In fact, identifying the required knowledge, skills and capacities
for industrial companies demands scientific research. It is needless to say that efficient development and quality
enhancement of TVET programs can be fulfilled more effectively by scientific research, because research
findings increase the confidence coefficient of plans objectives achievement.
Research on TVET should be based on one of the main processes of technical and vocational training
system that is planning, performing and assessment. Planning of TVET is one of the main stages of the process
and its basis is related to educational needs which should be collected and applied by scientific methods. In other
words, scientific educational needs assessment can be helpful in increasing effectiveness of TVET courses. The
research showed that one of the basic factors of inefficiency in Iran industrial development is low level of
quality, knowledge and manned skills. TVET can be effective then in promoting man capital of producing
companies and by educational needs assessment it is possible to identify efficient training courses. The main
problem of this research is to study and identify TVET needs of industrial companies for further compile the
type of needs of the studied industries and companies. Therefore, in terms of economy, the utility training of
TVET in the companies under the study will increase, because educational needs assessment revealed what
courses are required.

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET)

Scientific training is just for humans. The goal of training is not merely giving information to learners by
educators. Instead, practical skills should also be noticed during the training (Khaksar, 2012). Education refers to
a set of activities done during its interactions. It is essentially a flexible and dynamic category which depends on

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ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.6, No.10, 2015

given conditions, needs, and expectations. Education has a variety of models and one of them is TVET. TVET
delivers related technology and science to various economic, social and cultural sectors. Such educations are the
mechanisms that are presented in order to establish necessary skills for obtaining special jobs and professions.
The following items are the features that UNESCO considers for TVET:
“(a) an integral part of general education; (b) a means of preparing for occupational fields and for
effective participation in the world of work; (c) an aspect of lifelong learning and a preparation for responsible
citizenship; (d) an instrument for promoting environmentally-sound sustainable development; (e) a method of
facilitating poverty alleviation.”(UNESCO-UNEVOC, 2006, p.1).
What is authentic in the process of planning and performing TVET is increasing operational and
functional skills of trainers and finally economic development and working improvement either directly or
indirectly. TVET is very costly comparing with theoretical educations. In addition, the delivered TVETs should
be proportionate with market requirements(Abdollahi and Saadatmand, 2011). They are also considered as a
complementary part of public educational system; so, their cultural content should be noticed in this respect.
TVET is generally delivered in two forms of formal and informal(Mohammadali, 2011). Technical and
vocational skills development should also be presented by private and public technical schools (Hartel, 2009).
Other groups of researchers categorized TVET alternatively and introduce comprehensive typology of TVET.
A)Institution-based training [(i) Provided by the formal education system and (ii) Provided outside the formal
education system] , B) Workplace-based training ( (i) Pre-employment training(ii) In-service training) C)
Combination of multiple types of training (e.g. sandwich programs, dual systems)(EFT,2012, P.5)
TVET is important from various points of views. 1) Studies show that such educations are very
significant throughout the world. The research reports of various countries such as Canada, Saudi Arabia, Kenys,
Germany, and Qana are the instances of such significance (Molgat and Akomaning 2011; Baqadir et al , 2010).
2) TVET plays a main role in providing man force with proper skills, knowledge and qualifications for
globalized world and for working place. 3) International organizations such as UNESCO and ILO pay attentions
to such educations. And after all, in the third millennium, individuals with no technical skills live in background
and countries will not achieve technological development and economic growth (Sukri et al, 2012).In view of
educational content, TVET has special features. The findings of the research by Baqdir et al(2012) showed the
necessary aspects for adjustment of such educations with working place requirements as follows:
• authentic, practical knowledge on technological developments and trends in manufacturing industries
gained through attendance at workshops and seminars organized by the manufacturing industry;
• apprenticeship: for example the importance of enhancing learning through ‘entering the field’,
‘participant observation’, and ‘portfolio records of practical aspects of manufacturing-related studies’;
• interpersonal communication skills and critical thinking skills;
Azreen and Mohamad also discussed that in TVET, we should consider team work skills, critical
thinking, problem solution and professional ethics.
Educational programs have various elements. One of the very requirements in the process of any
educational program is educational needs assessment(Doaei and Aghel, 2012). The goal of needs assessment is
to determine the main requirements for education (Maleki et al, 2010). It s supposed that determined educational
needs are the step stones of any educational program (Akomaning et al, 2011). Practically speaking, educational
needs assessment is a set of procedures and methods that are applied to determine educational priorities
(Ross,2008). It is a process that indicates: what courses should be performed? How much each of them
required?

Methodology of the research

The present study is of descriptive type and performed by survey method and is of applied type in view of the
research type. The research was done in Tehran province in Iran. Four food industrial companies were selected
two of which produce dairy products and two others produce cooking oil. The statistical society consisted of
technical and operational employees of dairy products and cooking oil producing companies in Tehran who had
educational cooperation with TVET general office in Tehran province. The formal statistics show that 6
companies cooperate with the same office among which the following four ones were selected. 70% of
production personnel of each company were selected proportionally in random. The distribution of the statistical
samples is as shown in table 1.
Table 1- The distribution of statistical samples based on age and working years average
Field of activity Name of company F Age Seniority
SD X SD
Dairy PAK 49 39.7 7.3 14.7 6.6
PEGAH 77 32.9 8.7 13 4.5
Cooking oil VARAMIN 25 35.7 7.7 13.1 8
PARSGHOO 47 40.7 4.37 18.3 6.89
Total 4 198

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ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.6, No.10, 2015

Since the present research was done with the support and at the request of TVET general office, the
goal of goal of courses identification was in macro level that means on company level. Questionnaires were
applied for collecting required data. For the required educational titles and fields, a variety of individuals were
inquired including the technical experts and supervisors, education authorities of the held training courses as
well as the information system of TVET general office. Then the questionnaires were filled in and acknowledged
with the consultation and help of educational science specialists at the university. Further, the subjects were
requested to determine how much they think it the stated courses on the questionnaire is necessary for their
companies and for their own field of industry. The questionnaires were designed according to Likert spectrum
ranging from very low (1) to very high (5). In the present research, data were analyzed by descriptive statistical
methods; classification of the data was done by tables, mean calculation and standard deviation. To examine the
research statistical hypotheses (H1: µ‹ 3) and (H0:≤3), the single group T test was applied to determine
significance of the mean of each educational need comparing with the theoretical mean. To prioritize the
educational needs, the weight score was applied. All data analysis operation and statistical tests were performed
by SPSS.

Results
The findings of research are provided in tables 2 to 5. Based on parameters provided in tables 2, 3, 4 and 5, the
titles of technical and vocational educational needs and priority of each of them is specified. The t values
indicates whether each of the specified educational courses are determined as need in the significant level or not
(x<3) and their rank is specified based on the weight coefficient.
Table 2: technical and producing educational needs of diary production companies
Course Mean SD T sig Wight score rank
Studying dairy products 4.21 0.9 15.1 0.000 88.28 3
fundamentals and principles of diary industries 4.13 0.966 13.1 0.000 85.1 5
milk microbiology 3.79 1.01 8.6 0.000 72.35 9
preparation and making healthy milk 3.33 0.91 3.9 0.000 54.13 35
introduction to packaging in milk industries 3.36 1.06 3.7 0.000 57.8 26
sensors 3.37 0.96 4.3 0.000 56.95 28
instrumentation 3.74 0.96 8.5 0.000 68.68 13
operation of milk taking devices 3.34 0.22 3.1 0.002 62.25 16
sensory evaluation 3.38 1.04 4.1 0.000 57.51 27
Usage of antibiotics in diary industries 4.06 1.03 11.5 0.000 92.4 1
pasteurization CIP 3.48 1.17 4.5 0.000 63.73 15
specialized sterile CIP 3.76 1.07 7.9 0.000 71.03 11
mechanics of fluids in diary 3.30 1.06 3.1 0.002 55.43 33
preliminary CIP 3.36 1.17 3.4 0.001 60.6 19
sampling from milk and dairy products 3.75 1.05 7.9 0.000 71.3 10
pre-pack operation 3.76 1.01 8.4 0.000 69.33 12
milk pasteurization 4 1.13 9.8 0.000 84.55 6
storing and protection of dairy products 4.06 0.91 13.1 0.000 61.78 8
advanced and preliminary hydraulics 3.36 1.15 3.4 0.001 59.4 23
pioric operation 3.49 1.07 5.1 0.000 62.15 17
equipment of diary industries 3.33 1.12 3.25 0.001 59.6 22
industrial electricity 3.57 1.12 5.7 0.000 65.5 14
PLC 3.34 1.01 3.7 0.000 56.03 30
industrial automation 3.32 1.01 3.5 0.001 55.6 31
advantages of milk 3.44 0.98 4.9 0.000 58.61 25
technology of dairy products 4.16 0.99 13 0.000 87.9 4
milk improvement management 3.45 1.02 4.9 0.000 59.61 25
calibration 3.45 0.99 5.1 0.000 59.28 24
cooling systems 3.68 1.01 7.5 0.000 61.78 18
health of milk 3.31 0.96 3.5 0.000 48.65 37
diseases of dairy cattle 3.38 0.92 4.6 0.000 54.24 34
zoonotic 4.09 0.84 14.3 0.000 81.33 7
compressors 3.37 0.91 4.5 0.000 48.8 36
centrifuge systems 3.46 0.89 5.7 0.000 55.45 32
research and development in dairy industries 4.34 0.78 19.2 0.000 91.9 2
pneumatic 3.61 0.78 7.9 0.000 60.11 20
mass transfer 3.44 0.91 5.3 0.000 56.56 29
fire extinction 3.25 1.1 2.6 0.01 55.35 3
Personal health 3.97 0.82 3.7 0.000 53.93 6
First aids 3.48 1.02 5.2 0.000 95.63 2
Detergent & sterilizing 3.33 0.96 3.7 0.000 54.1 5
Industrial health 3.35 0.89 4.3 0.000 54.53 4
Safety in industry 3.54 1.02 5.9 0.000 62.06 1

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ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.6, No.10, 2015

3- Safety and health educational needs in dairy production companies

Findings of tables 2 and 3 from the titles of technical and vocational educational needs of dairy production
companies indicate that educational needs of dairy industries are specified in two sections: 1) technical and
operational educational courses 2) safety and health educational courses. The findings of research indicates that
the mean of all required educational courses has been upper than the base mean (x<µ). Also, the mean of courses
are significant in the 5% alpha level. The maximum amount of mean (4.34) is related to the educational course
“research and development in dairy industries” and the least mean (3.25) is related to the educational course “fire
extinction”. Totally 7 courses have the mean of 4 and upper that all of these courses are from technical and
operational type. In fact, the need for technical and working courses is felt more than the needs for safety and
health.

4- Technical and producing educational needs of edible oil production companies

Course Mean SD T sig Wight score rank
The techniques of control and improvement of
4.28 0.8 12.8 0.000 51.1 5
the quality of oil
preliminary and advanced oil refinement 3.50 1.0 4.04 0.000 35.1 15
oil test methods 3.39 0.8 3.8 0.000 31.32 24
plate cutting technology 3.56 1 4.5 0.000 34.43 19
general and food materials chemistry 4.25 0.9 11.7 0.000 51.58 3
furnace technology 3.26 0.97 2.3 0.025 30.71 25
filter press technology 3.76 1.1 5.3 0.000 43.21 8
oil industry equipment 3.38 0.9 2.94 0.004 33.7 21
precipitation of boilers 3.64 1.02 4.96 0.000 37.3 9
preliminary and advanced hydraulics 3.50 1.07 4.15 0.000 34.68 18
Maintenance Technology 3.57 1.04 4.5 0.000 36.75 10
Methods and equipment for oil packaging 3.76 1.06 6.22 0.000 35.6 14
assembly fault detection technology 3.54 1.03 4.33 0.000 35.88 12
pneumatic 3.92 1.1 7.54 0.000 44.86 6
Technical protection 4.17 1.02 8.3 0.000 52.7 2
Tin plate technology 3.63 1.03 5.1 0.000 36.46 11
electronic 3.53 1.12 4.33 0.000 35.85 13
instrument 3.42 1 3.11 0.003 34.83 16
repair and maintenance of compressors 3.43 1.03 3.63 0.001 33.01 22
Maintenance of technical & industrial systems 3.31 0.94 2.5 0.014 32.21 23
different types of edible oil products 4.33 1.06 11.9 0.000 54.45 1
PLC 3.86 0.96 6.8 0.000 43.48 7
repair and maintenance of boilers 3.25 0.8 2.2 0.030 29.97 26
hydrogenation technology 4.33 0.88 14.05 0.000 51.45 4
Statistical Quality Control 3.56 1.11 5.3 0.000 34.4 20
Repair & maintenance of pumps 3.56 0.84 4.6 0.000 34.75 17
Repair & maintenance of gearboxes 3.29 0.93 2.92 0.005 29.85 27

5- Safety and health educational needs in edible oil production companies

Course Mean SD T sig Wight score rank
Safety Methods and Tools in Industry 4.18 0.93 10.6 0.01 50.26 1
fire extinction& fire fighting 3.54 1.1 4.17 0.000 35.25 3
rescue training 3.42 0.83 4.23 0.000 30.92 6
Professional health 3.35 1.03 2.84 0.006 32.76 5
Ergonomic principles 3.78 0.9 7.27 0.000 39.2 2
First aids 3.46 1.03 3.76 0.000 33.96 4
Findings of tables 4 and 5 from the titles of technical and vocational educational needs of dairy
production companies indicate that educational needs of dairy industries are specified in two sections: 1)
technical and operational educational courses 2) safety and health educational courses. The findings of research
indicates that the mean of all required educational courses has been upper than the base mean (x<µ). Also, the
mean of courses are significant in the 5% alpha level. The maximum amount of mean (4.34) is related to the
educational course “research and development in dairy industries” and the least mean (3.25) is related to the
educational course “fire extinction”. Totally 7 courses have the mean of 4 and upper that all of these courses are

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ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.6, No.10, 2015

from technical and operational type. In fact, the need for technical and working courses is felt more than the
needs for safety and health.
The contents of table 2 and 3 show the titles of technical and vocational educational needs for dairy
production companies. The findings of research indicate that educational needs of dairy industries are specified
in two sections: 1) technical and operational educational courses 2) safety and health educational courses. Also
in table 4 and 5 the titles of educational courses required for the edible oil production companies are indicated in
two sections of 1) technical and operational 2) safety and health. The findings of research indicate that the mean
of all required educational courses has been upper than the base mean (x< µ).

Discussion and Conclusion

One of the critical questions for managers of industrial companies is that what mechanisms can be used for
promotion of human capitals. Based on the findings of the current research, we can respond to this question that
a part of this issue is possible via technical and vocational educational courses. The technical and vocational
educations can be performed in two fields; 1- for education and preparation of the work force who has not yet
entered the work world, 2- in order to increase the knowledge and skills of the work force employed in the dairy
and edible oil industries that are assumed as the active economical population. Planning and performing
technical and vocational educational courses can be highly effective for preparing the bed for more efficient
performance of technical responsibilities and consideration to work’s safety aspects.
Based on the findings of research, the technical and vocational educational needs for dairy and edible
oil industries were specified. The members performing the technical and vocational educational courses have
distinguished two categories of A) technical and operation courses and B) safety and health courses required for
dairy and edible oil industries. Thus, performing the specified technical and vocational educational courses can
be effective in improvement of human capitals of companies active in the field of dairy and edible oil industries.

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