Technical Education Service Quality and Sustainable Learner Engagement in Military Education for the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Purpose: This study empirically examines the structural relationships among technical education service quality (TechEduQUAL), trainee satisfaction, and loyalty within military education programs focused on emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, AR/VR, and Big Data. Drawing on the SERVQUAL framework, this research conceptualizes TechEduQUAL through five first-order dimensions: reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy, and responsiveness (RATER).Methods: Data from 115 trainees were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). A two-stage approach was employed to evaluate a reflective higher-order construct (HOC) of service quality. Additionally, moderation analysis was conducted alongside complementary text mining techniques, including word cloud and network analyses, to provide a mixed-methods perspective.Results: The findings indicate that all five RATER dimensions significantly contribute to the higher-order TechEduQUAL (p < .001). TechEduQUAL demonstrated a strong positive effect on trainee satisfaction (β = 0.737, p < .001), which in turn significantly influenced loyalty (β = 0.612, p < .001), supporting a full mediation effect. Furthermore, the moderating role of prior learning experience was significant (β = –0.266, p < .05), suggesting that previous exposure moderates the impact of perceived service quality. Qualitative insights from word cloud analysis highlighted that ‘trainees,’ ‘education,’ ‘experience,’ ‘technologies,’ and ‘helpful’ are central to trainee perceptions.Conclusion: This study extends the service quality framework to the context of sustainable military education, emphasizing the development of technologically competent human capital. The results theoretically validate the extended SERVQUAL–HOC model in the defense sector and empirically support the satisfaction–loyalty paradigm. Practically, the study suggests that enhancing instructor empathy and physical training infrastructure is critical to boosting learner engagement and sustaining the quality of defense technology training.