Developing a Competency Framework for Technical Education Leadership in the Context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

This study develops a competency framework for technical education leadership in Nigeria in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterised by automation, artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, and platform economics, is fundamentally reshaping the skills required of both technical workers and the leaders of institutions that prepare them. Technical education leaders require new competencies in technology strategy, partnership development, digital learning governance, and change management that existing leadership frameworks do not adequately capture. This study employs a Delphi method design combined with grounded theory to construct the framework. Three iterative Delphi rounds engage 45 expert panellists including technical education leaders, industry executives, technology specialists, and international VTE governance experts from across Nigeria and four international contexts. Between Delphi rounds, grounded theory interviews with 20 innovative technical education leaders in Nigeria identify emerging competency themes from practice. Content validity analysis and theoretical triangulation validate the final framework. Contributions include a validated, context-specific Fourth Industrial Revolution leadership competency framework with three tiers: individual, institutional, and systems-level. The framework is operationalised into a professional development curriculum with associated assessment tools. Recommendations address leadership preparation programmes, succession planning, and continuing professional development policy for technical education leaders. This study fills a significant theoretical and practical gap in technical education leadership research in Nigeria. Keywords: leadership competency framework, Fourth Industrial Revolution, technical education, Nigeria, Delphi method