Rate My Professor Joseph Mukuni

Joseph S. Mukuni is a Collegiate Associate Professor in Career and Technical Education within Virginia Tech's School of Education, specializing in Technical and Career education. He serves as Program Leader for the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) and Ph.D. programs in Career and Technical Education. Mukuni earned his PhD in Career and Technical Education and a Graduate Certificate in International Research and Development from Virginia Tech in 2012. Before joining Virginia Tech faculty, he directed workforce development in Zambia and worked as a trainer, teacher educator, and administrator of skills development programs. He arrived at Virginia Tech in 2009 as a Ph.D. candidate and has since contributed to the institution as its only faculty member from Zambia.

Mukuni's research focuses on portability of technical skills across occupations, trends in the world of work, labor market skill gaps, international best practices in workforce development, technical education and vocational training policy, Industry 4.0 and 5.0, leadership, entrepreneurship education, cultural diversity, STEM education, curriculum decolonization, and technical education reforms, including the Ubuntu philosophy. He has participated in professional development programs in China, Denmark, the Netherlands, Swaziland, and Tanzania on general management, administration, project management, small business management, and human resource management and development. Mukuni has attended international conferences in Botswana, Canada, France, Germany, Kenya, Malawi, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. For nearly a decade, he has led a study abroad program to Zambia, fostering experiential knowledge of cultural diversity and culturally relevant instruction. Key publications include 'Fostering Experiential Knowledge of Cultural Diversity Through Studying Abroad' (2025), 'Educational leadership connecting the world: educational manual for full-time students' (2024), 'Understanding Ubuntu for Enhancing Intercultural Communications' (2021), 'Reconstructing the Impact of Colonialism on Science Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: Toward Place-Based STEM Education for Workforce Development' (2022, with George Glasson), 'Struggles and Tribulations of Provisionally Licensed Teachers of Business and Information Technology and Marketing Education' (2022, with Michael Shumate), 'Behold the Fourth Industrial Revolution and How to Keep Pace with Workplace Competencies in an Ever-Changing World of Work!' (2023), and 'Perspective Chapter: Industry 4.0's Artificial Intelligence - A Blessing and a Nightmare for the Workforce' (2025).