GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES OF STUDENTS IN THE BACHELOR OF HOME ECONOMICS PROGRAM, FOOD AND NUTRITION MAJOR, RAJAMANGALA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF ADMINISTRATORS AND LECTURERS

Abstract

This article aimed to examine the professional competencies and propose guidelines for developing the professional competencies of students in the Bachelor of Home Economics Program, Food and Nutrition major, at Rajamangala University of Technology. A qualitative research methodology was employed. The key informants consisted of 15 administrators and lecturers, selected through purposive sampling. The research instrument was a structured interview form, developed based on higher education qualification standards in conjunction with the Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes (KSA) competency theory. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed that: 1) Students’ professional competencies consisted of three main components: 1.1) Knowledge, which serves as an essential foundation for accurate and standardized professional practice; 1.2) Skills, which represent the ability to effectively apply knowledge to professional practice; and 1.3) Attributes, which serve as an internal driving force shaping appropriate professional behavior. Each component comprised five subcomponents, covering professional foundations and specialization, business management, communication, data analysis, and digital technology utilization, together with ethics, professional personality, service-mindedness, leadership, teamwork, creativity, and lifelong learning-forming an essential foundation for standardized and effective professional practice. and 2) The development guidelines should enhance students’ professional competencies in an integrated manner across all three components through curriculum improvement and learning processes aligned with changes in the food and nutrition industry. Emphasis should be placed on experiential learning, the application of science, digital technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, together with the cultivation of morality, ethics, service-mindedness, and leadership-preparing students with well-rounded capabilities, adaptability to change, and readiness to effectively meet the needs of the industry and labor market.