Emerging Technologies and Digital Transformation in South African TVET Colleges: A Narrative Literature Review

This paper examines the influence of emerging technologies and digital transformation on South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and evaluates their implications for institutional readiness, skills development, employability and digital inclusion. The study seeks to provide an integrated understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with technology-driven transformation in vocational education. A qualitative narrative literature review design was employed to analyse contemporary evidence on digital transformation within the TVET sector. The review drew on twenty-one peer-reviewed journal articles, policy documents and institutional reports published between 2020 and 2025, supplemented by foundational theoretical sources. Data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify dominant themes, recurring patterns and emerging trends. The findings indicate that emerging technologies, including digital learning platforms, cloud-based systems, simulation technologies, artificial intelligence and data-driven tools, are increasingly transforming teaching, learning and institutional operations within TVET colleges. The review further reveals that successful digital transformation is strongly influenced by institutional readiness factors such as infrastructure availability, leadership commitment, lecturer competence, governance arrangements and organisational support. Despite the potential of digital transformation to enhance skills development and graduate employability, persistent challenges related to digital inequality, limited connectivity, inadequate access to devices and varying levels of digital literacy continue to constrain inclusive participation and equitable outcomes. The study concludes that digital transformation in South African TVET colleges extends beyond technology adoption and requires coordinated investment in infrastructure, human capability development, curriculum reform and inclusive policy interventions. The paper contributes to the literature by synthesising current evidence on the technological, organisational and socio-economic factors shaping digital transformation in vocational education.