Remaining the Vocational Professional: A Grounded Theory Study of IVET Teachers’ Continuing Professional Development

The Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology (MCAST), Malta’s leading VET provider, opened its doors in 2001 and has since invested heavily in recruiting industry professionals to teach a variety of vocational subjects. New full-time educators commit to complete an in-service pedagogy course within the first five years of employment. However, as full-time IVET educators become seasoned teachers and academics, they run the risk of losing technical competences related to their former vocational profession or discipline. The aim of this grounded theory study is to explore Continuing Professional Development (CPD) practices that enable IVET educators to maintain and update subject-related technical competences. Five in-depth interviews were carried out with IVET lecturers within the Institute of Business Management and Commerce (IBMC) at MCAST. The findings show that, whilst the notion of what constitutes CPD was interpreted differently, all participants had participated in some form of technical CPD at their own initiative, ranging from reading, conferences, seminars, and courses, or practising in the subject-specific area. However, all teachers agreed that the value derived from work placements cannot be replicated by other forms of CPD. Teachers also expressed the need for individually tailored technical CPD, depending on the stage of professional development and subject area taught. Finally, the findings suggest that those teachers who are bound to carry out CPD to meet the requirements set by a professional board (e.g. Accountancy Board or Chamber of Engineers) engage in CPD more systematically and mindfully, highlighting the need for MCAST’s own career planning and CPD policy.