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The rediscovery of the value of apprenticeships has been one of the most significant trends in vocational education in recent years. In this volume, the renewed interest in the apprenticeship tradition and the various steps towards the implementation of innovative apprenticeship programs are analysed and discussed from different perspectives. The beginning chapters describe recent developments in apprenticeship training in different national contexts. The remainder of the book analyses the way in which both the quality and profitability of apprenticeship act in concert as the most influential drivers of innovation in this field.

The chapters are as follows: Introduction: rediscovering apprenticeship / Felix Rauner and Erica Smith; Competence development through workplace learning: the case of the French vocational baccalaureat / Benedicte Gendron; The transition from vocational education and training to higher education in the German-speaking countries / Peter Schlogl; Plural administration in dual systems in selected European countries / Felix Rauner, Wolfgang Wittig and Ludger Deitmer; Creating the social foundations for apprenticeship in Ireland / Barry Nyhan; Italian apprenticeship reform: impact from national and regional perspectives / Sandra D’Agostino, Elmo De Angelis and Ludger Deitmer; Towards innovative apprenticeship: the evaluation of the development of integrated regional VET centres in Hungary / Magdolna Benke; The distinct nature of work-based VET in England: a reflection of employer interests? / Michaela Brockmann, Linda Clarke and Christopher Winch; We need them, they need us: work-based learning programmes for young people in the Mediterranean region / Richard Sweet and Helmut Zelloth; We’re here to help: agencies dealing with apprenticeships in Australia / Erica Smith; Apprenticeship in the United States: patterns of governance and recent developments / Robert I. Lerman; Comparing two cases of training practice: implications for trainers’ professional development / Philipp Grollmann; Facilitating learners’ motivation and competence development in the workplace: the UK context / Natasha Kersh and Karen Evans; Coaching and collaborative work based learning in Dutch VET: the ‘TEAMstages’ project / Jeroen Onstenk; Costs, benefits and quality of apprenticeships: a regional case study / Felix Rauner and Lars Heinemann in collaboration with Dorothea Piening and Rainer Bischoff.

Individual chapters are indexed from TD/TNC 101.306 to TD/TNC 101.319. Show less

This chapter provides an outline of recent developments in health care, policy and practice in the United Kingdom (UK) and their implications for nursing. Definitions of competence and performance are discussed with the author arguing that both competence and performance comprise knowledge, skills and attitudes, but while competence focuses on what one knows and does under ideal circumstances, performance refers to actual situated practice. Assessment of nursing practice is then discussed and the chapter concludes with implications for education, practice and policy.

The monograph from which this chapter is taken is indexed at TD/TNC 66.308. Selected chapters are indexed from TD/TNC 66.309 to TD/TNC 66.317 and at TD/TNC 66.491. Show less

This article explores some different ways of providing vocational qualifications, specifically for young people who do not go directly to university from school. The examples of Germany and Australia are discussed and show that historical, political, economic and social factors influence the preferred modes of training and their relative perceived status. Advantages and disadvantages are outlined for each mode of provision. Various remedies to address the disadvantages identified for the different modes are explored.

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Intermediary organizations in apprenticeships are those which act on behalf of, link, or mediate between the main parties - apprentices and employers. An intermediary organization in apprenticeship systems is thus one that undertakes one or more of the following activities: employs apprentices as a third-party employer; trains apprentices as part of a specific arrangement with groups of employers; or undertakes other apprentice support activities on behalf of an employer or a specified group of employers. This discussion paper highlights different ways of classifying intermediary organizations, provides examples of different types of intermediary organisations and examines the different roles they can play to support the effective operation of apprenticeship systems. In particular, the report includes brief case studies of intermediary organisations in Australia, India, England.

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Apprenticeship is increasingly seen as a promising option for policy makers. An apprenticeship offers a chance to find further education and a place in society and the workplace. In an increasing number of countries, apprenticeship is available to mature-aged workers, providing a chance for a career change or re-entry into the workforce. The sixth International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship (INAP) conference was held at the Federation University Australia in Ballarat, Victoria on 1-2 September 2015. The publication contains all the papers presented at the conference. The conference demonstrated the diversity of approaches to apprenticeship in practice. It also highlighted the need to share experiences from country-specific developments and that the learning process and knowledge base of apprenticeship is continuously growing and developing. The most popular themes for papers at the conference were: (1) governance, including stakeholders' roles and responsibilities; (2) vocational education and training (VET) teaching and learning; (3) quality in apprenticeship; and (4) school to work transition and youth employment.

Introductions to the conference were provided by Philipp Gonon, Erica Smith and David Battersby. The keynotes were as follows: Two distinct conceptions of apprenticeship / Stephen Billett; Can traditional apprenticeships in the informal economy of least developed countries be integrated as legitimate pathways in formal skills development systems? [keynote address] / Paul Comyn; Developing T-shaped people: transforming skills into skilfulness to meet the demands of the 21st century workplace / Raymond Patel. Section one, 'Governance and stakeholders', contains the following papers: A history of apprenticeship and trade training in Victoria, Australia / Mike Brown; Exploration and practice of modern apprenticeship training with school-enterprise dual system: a case study of Guangzhou Industry and Trade Technician College / Weiqun Tang; Associations between adaptation of German-style vocational education models and impact on apprenticeship pathways in regional American labour markets / Nicholas M. Wyman and Joanne B. Gedge; Governance and financing of dual VET: foundation of an evaluation framework and findings of a comparative research in five European countries / Ursel Hauschildt and Wolfgang Wittig; Insights in governance of vocational education from a historical perspective / Volker Bank; The governance framework for VET school-enterprise cooperation in China at the local level / Haisheng Pan; Irish apprenticeship system reform 2013 to date / Maurice Doran; Stakeholders in the German and the Swiss VET system and their role in innovating apprenticeships / Thomas Deissinger and Philipp Gonon; Research and practice on 'tripartite collaboration' of innovative apprenticeship / Jinlan Wang and Yuqi Chen; Modern apprenticeship as a supplement to the school based vocational education system in China / Zhiqun Zhao and Junlan Chen; Development and definition of National Occupational Standards (NOS) as the curriculum basis for vocational education and training (VET) / Willi Peterson and Maik Jepsen; Why apprentices drop out in Australia and the policy implications / Phil Loveder. Section two, 'Teaching and learning in apprenticeships', contains: Competence measurement in South Africa: teachers' reactions to feedback on COMET results / Helen Brown; Research on the modern apprenticeship based on the talents training mode of the national skill master studio: the construction of the Lingnan Industrial Art Inheriting Base / Ye Junfeng and Luo Wei; Me siento bien en mi centro de formacion - I feel good at my training institution: results of an international competence assessment in nursing / Ursel Hauschildt; Teaching and learning research in master studio apprenticeship training / Bamei Yang, Kejing Li, Bin Bai and Enmin Zhai; School-based technician training under the framework of modern apprenticeship: experiences from a pilot program in Guangzhou / Donglian Gu; Improving the dynamics of feedback through deploying mobile technology-enhanced learning during pre-apprenticeship / Selena Chan; Skilled trade worker to a teacher of high school youth: a little bit of luck and a lot of courage / Bonnie Watt; Pre-apprenticeships towards apprenticeships using practice-focused learning / James Cannan; Learning as an apprentice: a comparative study on affordances for vocational learning in school and work life apprentice education / Magnus Fjellstrom and Per Kristmansson.

Section three, 'What makes a high quality apprenticeship', contains: Working process knowledge acquiring and working tasks research: a case study of technician apprenticeship training in Guangzhou Technician College / Xiang Geng, Bin Bai, Bamei Yang and Enmin Zhai; On motivations, predicament, and countermeasures of the modern continuation of China's handicraft apprenticeship / Liangcai Xie; Using apprenticeship as a whole-of-workforce training strategy: what are the effects on training quality? / Erica Smith; Efficacy of CBQ (cost benefit and quality) as an advisory tool to optimise cost-effectiveness and quality development of in-company apprenticeship training / Lusanda Bantwini and Tsholo Mungoni. Section four, 'Economic investment and benefit of apprenticeship', contains: A qualitative assessment of the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAP) / Robert I. Lerman and Devlin Hanson; Concerns, costs and calculation for apprenticeship: who invests? who benefits? how? / Michaela Marterer and Peter Hartel. Section five, 'School to work transition and youth employment', contains: Creating pathways to enhance college to work transition using COMET competence diagnostic model to assess and develop occupational competence and commitment in technical vocational education and training (TVET) / Patricia Jacobs; Application and contrastive analysis of the different apprenticeship training modes for automobile majors: taking Guangzhou Communications Technician Institute as an example / Cai Changwen; Higher apprentices' transition from school to work: case analysis on the education of technicians in Guangzhou Technician College, in China / Zongguo Li and Hao Wu; Working their way to school completion: school-based apprenticeships and traineeships for young Australians / Kira Clarke, Malgorzata Klatt, Nicky Dulfer and Emlyn Cruickshank. Section six, 'Status of apprenticeship as a career path', contains: Apprenticeships should work for women too: supporting meaningful exploration of 'non-traditional careers' for young women / Linda Simon and Kira Clarke. Section seven, 'Apprenticeship's contribution to social justice', contains: The development of skills for sustainability for Australian apprentices and trainees during the UN Decade of Education and Sustainable Development 2005-2014 / Mike Brown and Fabian Sack; A quest for social justice: exploring the possibility of expanding the South African apprenticeship system to provide access to informal apprentices / Ansa Leibenberg. Additional presentations [full papers not submitted] were: Preparing TVET graduates from small Pacific nations for international employment / Antoine Barnaart; Apprenticeship in former Soviet Union countries: the role of employer organisations and intermediary bodies / Didier Gelibert and Helmut Zelloth; Women in the auto trades: views from employers, tradeswomen and apprentices / Hugh Guthrie, Anne Jones and Berwyn Clayton; The role of regional occupational standards and potential for apprenticeships in ASEAN countries / Bob Paton. Show less

In apprenticeship systems, intermediary organisations typically assist with recruitment and/or management of apprentices. This paper compares and contrasts the two major intermediary organisation types in apprenticeship systems in England and Australia. It focuses particularly on the way in which the organisations are funded, and the effects of funding on their operations. There has been very little research on intermediary organisations, and no prior international comparison. The encouragement of third party agencies has been a feature of governments wishing to expand apprenticeship systems; hence there is a need for evidence to inform governments' decision-making. The paper is drawn from data gathered for a recent research project funded by the International Labour Organization [report available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 138.649], undertaken by desk review of documents including government-commissioned evaluation reports, analysis of intermediary organisations' web sites, and conversations with government personnel, peak bodies and other experts in the two countries, some of whom also assisted with validation. The paper draws out and analyses data specifically on Australia and England: in Australia, Group Training Organisations and Australian Apprenticeship Service Network [AASN] providers; and in England, Group Training Associations and Apprenticeship Training Agencies.

It was clear that there were considerable differences in approach and ethos, both among and within the intermediary organisation types. Some had evolved organically, often in specific industry or geographical areas, but some had sprung into being to access financial opportunities, whether funded by government or, to a lesser extent, through fee-for-service opportunities afforded by government endorsement. Such evaluations as exist have highlighted some problems associated with profit-driven intermediaries, and the research has uncovered more such problems. The Australian 'AASN' providers, for example, are particularly profit-driven. The paper presents a framework for understanding intermediary organisations based on funding sources, and warns against 'contracting out' basic functions of apprenticeship to private providers.

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Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide a reflection on the growth in qualifications available through work, over the 50 years of Education + Training. Design/methodology/approach - The approach adopted is that of providing a viewpoint, reflecting back on the availability of qualifications today compared with the 1950s. Findings - The growth in the availability of qualifications has meant that a greater proportion of the workforce now hold qualifications, and particularly that people outside traditional trades can gain work-related qualifications. The changes have advantaged those in service industries and jobs previously not regarded as skilled. They have especially assisted women and have paralleled the increased participation of women in the workforce. However the current favourable situation has some fragility. Originality/value - This paper is one of a series commissioned by the journal on its 50th anniversary. Its originality stems from the discussion of the significance of the growth of qualifications, particularly for women.

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Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyse what retail and hospitality industry employers want from training and trainers. Design/methodology/approach - The research project was undertaken for Service Skills Australia, the Australian Industry Skills Council that oversees formal training for a range of service industries in Australia. The paper utilises data from focus groups and telephone interviews with representatives of the retail and hospitality industries, and telephone interviews with staff of the relevant UK Sector Skills Councils, to provide international benchmarking for the issues raised. Findings - Results showed that, while industry representatives stated that they prioritised industry skills and knowledge above education skills and knowledge, a complex mixture of the two was required, which was generally felt to be lacking. Curriculum for training was also perceived to be deficient, despite Training Packages having been developed in consultation with industry. A comparison with the UK interviews with senior staff at the UK Skills Councils for the two industries showed similar issues and suggested some possible ways forward for Australia. Originality/value - The paper provides three major areas where improvement in [vocational education and training] VET training and trainers would be welcome and gives useful initiatives for improvement in those areas.

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Public policies on training are firmly rooted in the historical, political, economic and social context of their countries. A number of stakeholder groups such as employer groups, state and local governments, and trade unions affect the formulation of policy. Training policy is also affected by public policies in other areas of government, such as industrial relations. The acceptability of policies to stakeholder groups and, most importantly, to learners and to employers, is bound to affect their take-up and therefore their viability and longevity. The paper uses a comparative analysis of developments in the English and Australian systems in three key areas, using elements of public policy theory, to explain the factors affecting stakeholder acceptance of training policies. In particular, the paper focuses on the role of employers and the importance of employer acceptance to the successful implementation of vocational education and training (VET) policy.

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Public policies on training are firmly rooted in the historical, political, economic and social context of their countries. This paper explores the acceptability of such policies to stakeholder groups including learners and employers, and its impact on policy take-up, viability and longevity. The paper uses a comparative analysis of developments in the English and Australian systems in three key areas, using elements of public policy theory, to explain the factors affecting stakeholder acceptance of training policies. The data was gathered through a series of interviews with stakeholders in England and Australia in 2005. The paper focuses on the role of employers and the importance of employer acceptance to the successful implementation of training policy. The paper finds that the successful implementation of training policies depends upon participation in the system by all the stakeholders. The successful implementation of qualifications and apprenticeship policies in Australia rests on a foundation of institutions that support neo-corporatist employer and union participation in policy-making as well as a public trust in past policies that seems to be lacking in England. The degree of employer involvement via neo-corporatist mechanisms such as concertation has a highly significant impact on the success of national training policies.

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