Professional Learning Communities as Predictors of TVET Teachers’ Motivation for Professional Development: Evidence from Structural Equation Modeling in Ethiopia

Against the backdrop of profound transformation in the global labor market, developing economies closely linked to labor-force development are experiencing a growing demand for high-quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). In Ethiopia, TVET reform has become a core national strategy for enhancing employability, strengthening workforce competencies, and improving the responsiveness of educational institutions to industry needs. Within this context, teachers’ motivation to pursue professional development is particularly important because it influences instructional quality, the adoption of innovative teaching practices, collaboration with industry and colleagues, and the overall performance of TVET institutions. Although Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are widely recognized as an effective framework for teacher learning and school improvement, limited empirical research in Ethiopia—and in sub-Saharan Africa more broadly—has examined the predictive effects of specific PLC dimensions on the professional development motivation of TVET teachers. This original empirical study focuses on Ethiopia’s TVET sector and investigates the predictive relationship between PLCs and teachers’ motivation to engage in professional development. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected from 261 teachers recruited through stratified random sampling from public vocational colleges and polytechnic institutes. The data were analyzed using SPSS 27 and AMOS 23 through descriptive statistics, measurement-model assessment, and structural equation modeling. The dimensions of the core constructs were clearly operationalized, and the analysis evaluated both the reliability and validity of the measurement model as well as the predictive relationships within the structural model. The findings indicate that all examined PLC dimensions significantly predict TVET teachers’ professional development motivation. Collaborative learning demonstrates the strongest positive predictive effect (β = 0.41, p < 0.001), followed by supportive leadership (β = 0.32, p < 0.001) and reflective dialogue (β = 0.28, p < 0.01). These results suggest that opportunities for teachers to learn collaboratively, exchange professional experiences, reflect on instructional practices, and receive encouragement from institutional leaders are central to sustaining their motivation for continuous learning. The measurement model demonstrates acceptable convergent and discriminant validity. In addition, the structural model shows satisfactory goodness-of-fit indices: χ²/df = 2.41, CFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.94, RMSEA = 0.052, and SRMR = 0.046. All reported validity and model-fit indicators meet accepted standards, supporting the adequacy of the proposed research model. The study concludes that TVET teachers’ motivation for professional development is strengthened when institutions promote collaborative learning, reflective professional dialogue, collective responsibility, and supportive leadership. Theoretically, the study contributes to the literature by integrating the PLC perspective with social learning theory and self-determination theory to explain teacher motivation in the TVET context. Practically, the findings suggest that Ethiopian TVET policymakers, institutional leaders, and teacher educators should institutionalize PLC-based professional development structures, allocate time and resources for collaborative learning, strengthen instructional leadership, and create mechanisms for ongoing reflection and peer support. Such measures can foster sustainable teacher learning, improve instructional practice, and enhance the quality and relevance of vocational education in Ethiopia.