The 4th International Conference on Vocational Education and Training (4th ICVET), September 15, 2016

ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) has prevailed at the end of 2015. Regarding this issue, it has some consequences. One of them is the open flow of products, services, and human resources across ASEAN countries. In addition, ASEAN members can freely sell their industrial products. In other words, this policy can increase the degree of products competition among those countries. Service industry will take part in all ASEAN countries without boundaries. Another consequence, there are many job opportunities that will open in various sectors among ASEAN countries. This means that when the great employment opportunities available in certain countries, it would be as threatening remark to labor requirements for other countries that do not have a skilled workforce.

To overcome skilled labor competitions, of course, human resources development resource developments of each country are geared to produce workforces that have a competitive advantages relevant to the labor standards in other countries. Vocational education and training (VET) institutions have a major role to produce professional manpower in accordance with regional labor qualifications demand. To achieve these expectations, policies of quality assurance for vocational education and training are required in order that process and results of the program as well as graduates will be guaranteed in accordance with labor market demand.

Furthermore, the national economy growth in certain country is influenced by industries growth and skilled workers. Its mean economic growth, industries growth and skilled workers fulfillment have mutual support. They are needed are not only limited to the formal sector but also the informal sector and also village industries. There are many small industries and informal enterprises in the ASEAN countries.

The successful fulfillment of skilled workers is highly depend on the quality of teachers’ VET. Thus, strengthening VET institutions and professional teachers are needed in AEC era. Empowering professional teachers are preferred be considered because they have an important role in human resources development. But in fact, many institutions of teachers' VET have not been able to design and produce professional teachers that are designed to anticipate competency change demands on the job market.