ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDELINES FOR PROMOTING 21ST CENTURY LIFE AND CAREER SKILLS AMONG STUDENTS UNDER THE SAMUT SONGKHRAM PROVINCIAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION OFFICE

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to: 1) investigate the essential needs for promoting              21st-century life and career skills among students under the supervision of the Samut Songkhram Provincial Vocational Education Office, and 2) examine the Administrative Guidelines for Promoting 21st-Century Life and Career Skills among Students under the Samut Songkhram Provincial Vocational Education Office. The study population consisted of three vocational colleges under this office. The sample included one director, one deputy director, and 20 teachers from each college, totaling 66 participants. Additionally, six experts were purposively selected to participate in semi-structured interviews and to evaluate the appropriateness and feasibility of the proposed administrative strategies. The research instruments included a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.928, semi-structured interview forms, and an evaluation form for appropriateness and feasibility. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean,            standard deviation, mode, the Priority Needs Index (PNI), and content analysis.The findings revealed the following:1) The most critical 21st-century skills in need of promotion, ranked by priority, were: initiative and self-direction, flexibility and adaptability, productivity and accountability, leadership and responsibility, and social and cross-cultural skills, respectively.2) The recommended administrative guidelines for promoting these skills were as follows:(1) For initiative and self-direction, administrators should encourage learners to become self-motivated individuals with clear personal goals.(2) For flexibility and adaptability, they should support learners in developing the ability to adjust to changes in all aspects of life and learning.(3) For productivity and accountability, they should help learners set goals and empower them to achieve those goals effectively.  (4) For leadership and responsibility, they should foster both leadership qualities and the ability to follow appropriately.(5) For social and cross-cultural skills, they should encourage learners to engage appropriately and collaboratively with society and diverse cultures.