Research on Trends in Vocational Training and Employability: A Bibliometric Analysis and Future Direction

Abstract

Due to changes taking place in the job market around the world, scholars have started taking a deeper interest in the field of vocational training and employability. This study evaluates the trends in this field from 2004 to 2024 using bibliometric analysis. Also, the objective of this study is to find out the publication trends in this field, influential authors, most productive journals and top 10 country-wise contributions by using 132 articles from the Scopus database. The results show that research publications are continuously developing, in which countries like Spain, the USA and Malaysia are playing an important role. At the same time, the role of digital skills, dual vocational training and industry support is important for enhancing employability in the key areas identified through analysis. This bibliometric analysis also sheds light on the understanding and increasing impact of the conceptual structure of vocational training and employability research. Additionally, after doing keyword analysis, it is found that there is a shift in the research direction on personnel training, apprenticeships and employability skills among the factors affecting the employment outcome. Future research directions point towards skill development with the integration of AI and policymaker strategies for improving vocational training programs in developing countries. Also, this study is important for researchers and policymakers who want to keep pace with the labour market by exploring trends in vocational training and employability. It can also increase the importance of vocational education and employability.