The Importance of the Compatibility of Personality and Environment in Competence Development for Reading and Interpreting Technical Drawings by Technicians (EQF 6)

Background: To counteract early dropout from vocational education or training, it appears crucial that the personality of the individual and his or her professional environment are compatible with one another. Accordingly, the influence of vocational interest as an expression of personality on domain-specific competence required to read and interpret technical drawings is examined. Methods: In 2017, data from 375 students European Qualifications Framework level 6 (EQF 6) were collected experimentally at six technical colleges in Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany), predominantly via the digital learning platform Moodle. The assessment of vocational interests was conducted with the AIST-R (Bergmann & Eder, Allgemeiner Interessen-Struktur-Test mit Umwelt-Struktur-Test (UST-R). AIST-R; Manual (Revision). Göttingen: Beltz-Test Hogrefe, 2005). Circumplex models were used for the evaluation. The influence of vocational interest is analyzed in a larger framework using structural-equation-modeling (SEM). Results: The structure of vocational interests emerges as a quasi-circumplex. The vocational interest investigative shows a strong influence on various dimensions of domain-specific competence for reading and interpreting technical drawings in mechanical engineering according to DIN EN ISO. Conclusions: To invest cognitive resources in the learning process, individual vocational interest is also crucial. Competence development results from a reciprocal interaction of an individual’s cognitive abilities, knowledge, and personality with his or her environment.