ISSN: 2222-6990
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Malaysia is facing a critical shortage of skilled local labour, especially when it comes to meeting the demands of Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0). This study investigated the key factors that influence youths in Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET), including factors that motivate and demotivate respondents’ participation. The study utilised a survey that was distributed to ATVET students in a selected region in Malaysia. It comprised 224 responses from ATVET students from four institutions. The data was analysed by first identifying the underlying structure of the data to discover potential factors within the variables without setting up a preconceived model. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was then conducted to test whether the identified factor structure from the EFA was consistent with a theoretical model and a good fit to the data. The study was based on the Behavioural Insights Framework and examined the cognitive processes, social influences and contextual factors that influence decision-making related to agricultural behaviours. The results show that motivating factors such as the farm-community ecosystem, career prospects and profitability of the sector are offset by demotivating factors, particularly financial and resource-related barriers as well as socio-cultural and infrastructural barriers.
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