Evaluating the Mediating Role of Human Capital Development in the Relationship between Vocational and Technical Education and the Empowerment of the Accounting Profession

Abstract

Vocational and technical education prepares future professionals for a changing job market. In accounting, it is essential to equip students with practical, analytical, and ethical skills that align with professional standards. Vocational and technical education often remains too theoretical, limiting its ability to prepare future accounting professionals with the essential skills they need. There is a gap in mechanisms to attract and retain talent, hindering the modernization of the profession. Emotional intelligence, crucial for relationships, communication, and resilience, is often overlooked in training, weakening professional empowerment. This study examines the influence of technical education on the empowerment of accounting professionals by exploring the mediating role of human capital development through three key dimensions: training and development, talent attraction, and emotional intelligence. A questionnaire was used to collect data from a group of teaching accounting professionals as part of a quantitative approach. Principal component analysis and structural equation modeling were the primary statistical tools employed. A sample of 294 individuals was randomly drawn from vocational institutions in Akkar, North Lebanon. The results from the structural equation model indicate that technical education has a direct and significant impact on empowerment. This effect is considerably reinforced by the interaction between emotional intelligence and talent attraction, followed by training and development. These results confirmed that technical skills, coupled with Emotional intelligence, catalyze professionals to translate competencies into empowerment. Empowering the accounting profession requires a blend of technical education and human skills. Attracting talented students and incorporating behavioral skills into curricula enhances technical knowledge.