The role of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in fostering inclusive growth at the local level in Southeast Asia

The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for fostering inclusive growth at the local level in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN ) region. The first section provides a brief overview of the main developmental challenges in the ASEAN region that have resulted in growing inequalities in wealth distribution. The second and third sections review evidence from developed as well as developing countries regarding TVET’s impact on employment and wages (Section 2), as well as on poverty, inequality and social exclusion (Section 3). Section 4 summarises the key findings and highlights lessons learned for the ASEAN region. Good practice examples from the region are presented to illustrate how countries have used TVET to improve economic and social outcomes at the local level.