Book chapter 2025

Gen AI in the Craft/Trades Industries: A Needs Analysis to Inform the VET Curriculum

CS
Chan, Selena
 HA
Hoskin, Alan
Artificial Intelligence in Vocational Education and Training: Understanding Learner and Teacher Perspectives on the Integration of Generative AI through Participatory Action Research
Journal · pp. 161-177
Abstract

Not much is known about how tradespeople or craftspeople use Gen AI in their everyday work and lives. In this chapter, we report on a survey of tradespeople, across several craft and commercial trades. The participants included those who had recently completed their apprenticeships or who are trades industry supervisors, business owners, and trade teachers. The survey sought to find out tradepeoples’ understanding of Gen AI, if they have used Gen AI for personal pursuits or work objectives, and how comfortable they are with AI tools, how they perceive AI might affect their work going into the future, and their concerns about AI. This data may then usefully inform the curriculum development of programmes and courses whereby relevant Gen AI is introduced to apprentices and pre-trade programmes. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Keywords

Author Keywords

curriculum design Craft practitioners and Gen AI Trades education VET and Gen AI

Index Keywords

Teaching Teachers' Curricula Apprentices artificial intelligence Commerce Curricula design Curriculum development Marketplaces Business owners Craft practitioner and gen AI Need analysis Trade education VET and gen AI
Author Affiliations
Ara Institute of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
References 10 References
1 Scoping A Digital Skills Framework for Aotearoa New Zealand A Discussion Paper, (2023)
2 Artificial Intelligence is Invisible and Everywhere, (2021)
3 Figures Humanoid can Now Watch Learn and Perform Tasks Autonomously, (2024)
4 Current Robotics Reports, (2020)
5 Brauner, Philipp, What does the public think about artificial intelligence?—A criticality map to understand bias in the public perception of AI, Frontiers in Computer Science, 5, (2023)
6 Buhl, Henrik, I work all day with automation in construction: I am a sociomaterial-designer, Emerald Reach Proceedings Series, 2, pp. 281-288, (2019)
7 Chan, Selena, Perspectives of new trades tutors: Boundary crossing between vocational identities, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 40, 4, pp. 409-421, (2012)
8 Identity Pedagogy and Technology Enhanced Learning Supporting the Processes of Becoming A Tradesperson, (2020)
9 Research Methods in Education, (2007)
10 Calvetti, Diego, Challenges of upgrading craft workforce into Construction 4.0: Framework and agreements, Proceedings of Institution of Civil Engineers: Management, Procurement and Law, 173, 4, pp. 158-165, (2020)
Quick Actions
Full Text via DOI
Citation Metrics
0
Times Cited (Scopus)
References 10
Document Identifiers