The Office of the Vocational Education Commission (Ovec) expects a new tax benefits scheme to attract more private firms to join its dual vocational education programme, in which students get work experience while they study.
The government has approved incentives to motivate companies to participate, as part of moves to boost the number of vocational students.
Companies which join the programme can receive up to 300% tax deductions, Education Minister Adm Narong Pipatanasai said in Rayong, where he met companies who are a part of the drive, which the government calls a "dual education system".
"The system is a way for entrepreneurs to work with vocational schools so students can improve their practical skills and gain real-world working experience while studying," said Adm Narong, adding students are likely to be recruited immediately after graduation.
Currently, there are 11,000 firms nationwide affiliated with Ovec's dual education programme, which aims to increase the numbers of vocational students to match labour market needs.
"As a result of new tax privileges, we hope to have more than 13,000 companies joining us, which could help to expand the numbers of students from 79,000 to 100,000 in the dual education programme by the end of this year," he said.
Currently, there are over 1.5 times more academic students than vocational ones, with a ratio of 39:61, according to the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (Onesqa).
This leaves a gap between technical graduates and market demand.
Technical colleges produce 20,000 graduates a year, while the industrial sector needs to fill 180,000 positions.
Ovec aims to churn out students on par with academic schools by 2016, and surpass academic graduates with a 60:40 ratio by 2018, said Ovec secretary-general Chaipreuk Sereerak.
Sema Poolvesh, SCG Chemicals' Learning Solutions Designer, said the firm wants to employ 60-80 technical staff a year, yet the programme supplies only 15-20.
"If Ovec can provide more dual vocational courses, the students will be welcomed into our company and guaranteed high-paid jobs as soon as they acquire their degrees," he said.
Similarly, PTT Global Chemical plans to expand in Thailand and needs more blue-collar workers, said Supat Arunlerktawin, of PTTGC.