Abstract

Purpose: The prime aim of this research was to present the model of Skill Training in Iran's public universities. Research methodology: This study was a qualitative research based on grounded theory, and the Strauss and Corbin method, which is a systematic approach, and MAXQDA software were used to analyze it. The method of selecting participants, which included university professors, was purposeful and snowball-type. A semi-structured interview was used as a data collection tool, which was recorded visually and audibly and then transcribed into text. The interview data were analyzed in three stages of open, axial, and selective coding to classify concepts and categories, and the desired model was obtained based on 133 indicators, 52 components and 6 dimensions. Theoretical saturation was achieved by conducting interviews with 35 people. Findings: According to the analysis of the interviews, the main categories are: causal categories (environmental changes, social skills policies, and labor market supply and demand), intervening conditions (relevant and effective organizations, facilities and infrastructure, human capital, relevant laws, and redefining the university's mission and goals taking into account changes in the local and international spheres), strategies (national standards and international higher education, policy-making with skills training, culture-building, appropriate infrastructure and context for skills training, planning for higher education and universities, and supporting the knowledge-based economy), and contextual conditions (culture, upstream documents, higher education, convergence with skills-oriented, management of international cooperation, and quality). Results: Considering these factors, a conceptual grounded theory model has been presented that shows that the consequences of skills training in public universities include improving career paths, moving towards the goals of third and fourth generation universities, determining targeted fields for university entrances, taking a step towards eliminating the entrance exam, and restoring the status and mission of the university and skilled and specialized graduates. Considering the results of this study, it is suggested that relevant authorities pay more attention to the importance of skills training and provide favorable conditions for its implementation in the public university system. Among the proposed solutions are job needs assessment and monitoring labor market needs as a prerequisite for revising curricula, measuring the level of graduates' skills training, using the experiences of successful countries, and replacing skill-based assessment with score-based assessment.
Previously, countries of the world were dependent on their material resources, now they rely more on their human resources and knowledge levels. More than half of the content of training courses is never used in work and jobs. That, a significant part of training resources is wasted; therefore, organizations are increasingly paying attention to evaluating the level of behavior change resulting from training courses (Lotfi Jalal Abadi, Farhadi, Ravaei & Gholami, 2020). Preparing young people for the labor market is one of the key responsibilities of the education system of countries (Forster & Bol, 2018). Having a university degree is not a guarantee of finding a job; although having an education is important for the workforce, it does not always guarantee that university graduates are equipped with the skills needed in the workplace. Skill training has become a new approach for the education system (Nozari, 2017) cited in Meeks. (2017). Technical and vocational training (skills training) has great potential in forming human capital and training knowledge-based workers because it combines theoretical training with practical training. Skills training plays an important role in forming human capital by training skilled workers needed by the labor market in different countries of the world. In developing countries, this type of training is not only responsible for training the labor force needed by different sectors of the economy, but also helps solve the problem of unemployment by creating a platform for self-employment. In addition, these trainings are also a shortcut to training human resources; Because these trainings benefit from scientific foundations and use accepted methods of classical training, they separate themselves from learning based on mere practical experience, thus shortening the long-term and unscientific path of this type of learning and providing the ability for the trainee to easily adapt to technological changes. On the other hand, by combining theoretical and practical trainings, these trainings provide the possibility for the trainees to be more aligned with the needs of the labor market and, as a result, more possibilities are created for their absorption in socio-economic activities (Salimifar & Mo, 2005).

This research was conducted to answer the following questions: 1- What is a valid and appropriate model for skills training in Urmia and Kurdistan universities? 2- What are the elements that make up the skills training model in Urmia and Kurdistan universities, and what are the characteristics of these elements? The interview participants were professors and faculty members of Urmia and Kurdistan Universities. Having at least one of the following two conditions was the criterion for selecting participants: 1- Scientific expertise: Those who had sufficient knowledge in the field of education, especially skills training. That is, they had written or published articles or research projects related to the subject of education. 2- Practical experience: Those who were fully familiar with the research topic through holding executive positions or teaching and training courses and units related to skills training.

According to the Guba and Lincoln evaluation method (Guba & Lincoln, 1985), four indicators of acceptability or validity, transferability or transferability, reliability or stability, and confirmability were considered in this study.

There are many challenges in the country's education, and the educational system must consider practical and effective training, as well as technical and vocational training. Therefore, designing a model of skills training is a step towards improving education. One of the main findings of this research is the important role of skills training in improving the career path of university graduates. In the present era, rapid environmental changes, changes and diversity of supply and demand in the labor market, and skill-based policies are the causal conditions of skills training, and if higher education and universities do not show sensitivity to these environmental conditions, do not continuously monitor the supply and demand of the labor market, and do not adapt their skills-based policies to them, the skill-based category and skills training will not bring desirable results in creating skilled and specialized graduates as an output of higher education in the issue of human resource supply. It is suggested that the authorities pay more attention to the importance of skills training and provide favorable conditions for its implementation in the public university system. The existence of a management team and a special working group is essential to continuously create documented strategic plans in this field.