Abstract:

The Sula Valley is a region in Honduras composed of 18 municipalities that function as a metropolitan area with 2.5 million inhabitants. This area has urban characteristics, access to borders and ports, and connectivity with the rest of the country. Consequently, it is recognized as the principal industrial region in the country. The National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) is the leading institution of higher education in the country, hosting a significant campus that offers engineering degrees to at least 15,000 students. As part of the university's collaboration with the private sector, the initiative emerged to create a new university degree at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) level. This program aims to reduce occupational risks and improve working conditions in productive environments. In 2018, a survey was conducted with 12 companies from various production sectors to identify employment opportunities, interest of employers, and to determine the functions and responsibilities of this new professional role. The survey identified the delineation of functions according to international protocols and national regulations on industrial safety and hygiene, as well as the level of intervention of various professionals in this field. Utilizing industry data and adhering to the higher education curriculum standards of Honduras, the National Qualifications Framework for Technical and Vocational Education and Training of Honduras (MNC-EFTP) were employed to develop a new academic program. This program is a degree in industrial safety and hygiene. This process was carried out with the integration of a curriculum development committee composed of industrial engineering professionals and the pedagogical technical advisory.

The specific competencies developed in this degree are:
1. Development and implementation of safety and hygiene plans through the creation/application of policies, training, emergency brigade formation, hazard identification and risk assessment, contingency planning, and selection of personal protective equipment. These are in accordance with the General Regulation on Preventive Measures and Occupational Diseases of Honduras and ISO-14000, OHSA-18001-18002 standards to prevent risks and promote safe work environments.
2. Analysis of national and international regulations and standards by understanding basic elements and terminology of ratified agreements of the Republic of Honduras before the ILO, Labor Code, General Environmental Law, Social Security Law and its regulations, General Regulation on Preventive Measures for Workplace Accidents and Occupational Diseases, and General Regulation on Environmental Health. This knowledge supports decision-making and the development of harmonized safety and hygiene plans.

To achieve these competencies, appropriate courses and practices have been developed within this degree to ensure effective and relevant curriculum training. After the degree was developed, it was validated through socialization processes with productive sectors, particularly the Association of Maquiladoras of Honduras. This organization acknowledged the importance and urgency of continuous education and lifelong learning processes that are not necessarily linked to a university degree. However, the new degree has been embraced as a highly interesting process that, through its 5,085 hours of training, will achieve the expected competencies and learning outcomes.

Keywords:

Industrial engineering, learning outcomes, lifelong learning, National Qualifications Framework, TVET, Workforce development.