Bibliometric Exploration of Green Skills Development in Vocational Education for Renewable Energy Workforce Sustainability
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Mesran Mesran
*
Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Manajemen Sukma Medan, Medan,
Indonesia
- Rosnizam bin Kamis Kolej Komuniti Arau, Perlis, Indonesia
Abstract
The global transition toward renewable energy systems and sustainable industrial development has increased the importance of green skills development within vocational education and workforce preparation. This study aims to explore the scientific development, intellectual structure, and emerging research trends related to green skills development in vocational education for renewable energy workforce sustainability. A bibliometric research design was employed using data retrieved from the Scopus database. The literature search was conducted using the keywords related to vocational education, sustainability, and energy, resulting in 139 English-language publications published between 2006 and 2026 after applying the PRISMA screening procedure. Bibliometric analysis was performed using Scopus analytical tools and VOSviewer software to examine publication trends, subject area distribution, keyword co-occurrence, and co-citation networks. The findings indicate that research in this field has experienced substantial growth, particularly after 2020, reflecting increasing global concern regarding renewable energy transition, green workforce readiness, and sustainable vocational transformation. The keyword co-occurrence analysis identified “sustainable development,” “renewable energy,” “vocational training,” and “energy efficiency” as dominant and highly interconnected themes within the research landscape. Meanwhile, the co-citation analysis revealed that the intellectual structure of the field is strongly influenced by sustainability theory, human capital development, vocational transformation, and renewable energy transition frameworks. The study also demonstrates that sustainability-oriented vocational education has become increasingly interdisciplinary through the integration of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and green innovation systems. The findings provide important theoretical and practical implications for policymakers, educational institutions, and industry stakeholders in developing adaptive curricula and sustainable workforce strategies. This study contributes to the advancement of bibliometric scholarship by systematically mapping the evolution of green vocational education research within the context of global energy transition and workforce sustainability
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