TVET and the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities: Relevance for Countries in the Middle East

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is an essential component of learning in and for the workplace, and a key building block of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO's) "Key Features of Learning Cities." TVET provides pathways to employment, particularly for young people, and skills development and retraining for older workers. Thus, workplace learning and TVET are integral to a learning city approach focused on lifelong learning. Skills development can also contribute to diversification of the economy and sustainable development. This paper synthesizes literature on skills development through TVET and UNESCO's "Key Features of Learning Cities." It also reviews key documents from member cities in the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities to identify methods to connect workplace learning to lifelong learning. The findings are applied to developing a framework for how TVET within a learning cities approach is relevant in a Middle Eastern context.