Designing a Future-Oriented Electronics Teacher Education Curriculum: Integrating AI, IoT, Automation, and Entrepreneurial Competencies for the Digital Workforce

Abstract

The rapid digital transformation of the electronics industry has fundamentally reshaped workforce competency requirements, creating new challenges for vocational teacher education. This study investigates labor-market demand for electronics vocational teachers in Bangkok and its metropolitan area, with particular attention to the skills and qualifications required in the digital workforce era. A mixed-methods research design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 200 respondents representing enterprises and educational institutions and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression. Qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with 17 key informants and analyzed using content analysis. The findings indicate that enterprises place the highest value on competencies in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). In contrast, educational institutions report a critical shortage of teachers with expertise in automation systems. Statistically significant differences were identified between industry and academic perspectives regarding both teacher demand and required competencies (p < 0.05). Regression analysis reveals that industrial technology trends, AI and IoT skills, and practical teaching competence are the strongest predictors of electronics teacher qualification requirements. Based on these findings, the study proposes a future-oriented curriculum framework for electronics teacher education that integrates automation, AI, IoT, embedded systems, work-integrated learning, and entrepreneurial skill development. The study provides empirical evidence supporting curriculum reform in vocational teacher education. It provides practical guidance on aligning educational provision with the evolving needs of Thailand's electronics industry within the digital economy.