Integration of green skills in the TVET curriculum of higher education: toward an ethical and sustainable workforce
Environmentally literate, morally responsible, and skilled workers who can contribute to low-carbon development. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is crucial for equipping graduates for burgeoning green industries. However, the incorporation of green skills into higher-education TVET curricula is inconsistent and inadequately theorized. This study examines the systematic integration of green skills—encompassing the knowledge, competencies, values, and ethical dispositions necessary for operating within sustainable production systems—into the Malaysian TVET curriculum to promote sustainability in the education sector. Rooted in Ecological Modernization Theory and utilizing an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, this study implements (a) documentary analysis of policy and accreditation frameworks, (b) expert consensus building via the Delphi technique, and (c) institutional case-based validation through survey and thematic analysis. The findings identified five fundamental domains of green skills: knowledge and comprehension, cognitive abilities, practical work competencies, personal and entrepreneurial skills, and ethics and professionalism. Quantitative validation demonstrated strong agreement among experts (threshold < 0.20; consensus > 75%), while institutional evidence revealed that certain pedagogical practices and curriculum structures were already in use in some institutions. The results led to the creation of a Green Skills Integration Framework that strategically aligns the curriculum, teaching methods, and testing with sustainability goals. This study offers policy recommendations for reforming accreditation, training lecturers, and implementing greening strategies throughout the institution. By incorporatchniing technical responsibility into tewithcal proficiency, TVET graduates may be prepared not only for employment but also for spreading sustainable transformation across various industrial sectors.