STRATEGIES FOR MANAGEMENT OF INTEGRATED COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS TO ENHANCE PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES OF STUDENTS AT SARAPHI TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Abstract

This research aimed to examine the environmental conditions and guidelines for developing, validating, and evaluating an integrative collaborative Networks management strategy to enhance the professional competencies of students at Saraphi Technical College. A mixed-methods multi-phase research design was employed. Research instruments included questionnaires, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and connoisseurship seminars. Key informants were purposively selected, comprising administrators, teachers, department heads, network partner representatives, and experts, classified into three groups: 15 participants for a workshop, 7 participants for validity and appropriateness verification, and 55 participants for strategy implementation evaluation. Data were analyzed using content analysis and overall synthesis. The findings revealed that the environmental conditions related to integrative collaborative Networks management at Saraphi Technical College were, overall, at a highest level. The college demonstrated readiness and potential to drive integrative cooperative networks across dimensions of administrative structure, policy, industry partnerships, personnel, resources, and management systems. Nevertheless, areas requiring further development included systematic network integration, clearly defined roles of network partners, establishment of a cooperative database, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and the concrete linkage of collaborative outcomes to students' professional competencies. Regarding management guidelines, the process should systematically integrate planning, organizing, network leadership, operations, and evaluation. Emphasis should be placed on establishing shared network goals, creating a clear cooperative structure, adopting participatory leadership, and utilizing technology to support administration. The developed strategy comprised a vision, mission, objectives, strategic issues, indicators, and projects. This strategy serves as a model for enhancing learners’ professional competencies in alignment with labor market demands in the Industry 4.0 era, and can be applied as a guideline for developing network management in vocational education institutions operating in similar contexts. The results of strategy validation and implementation evaluation were at the highest level. ( = 4.68, S.D. = 0.47)