I s there an optimum age to be an apprentice? For most people, their image of an apprentice would be a teenage school leaver. Yet, in England, the majority ofapprentices are over the age of 19 when they start their apprenticeship, and 40 per cent are 25 or over. This would be very unusual in other European countries. In this article, we discuss what lies behind the participation figures and the meaning of apprenticeship for adults.
a whole-workforce development strategy. As such, apprenticeship is qualitatively different to providing standard on-the-job training. Making this model work is challenging, particularly in some service sectors where, until recently, there was no tradition of apprenticeship. It is tough because it requires employers to plan for the medium- to long- term. In any country, therefore, the quality of apprenticeship will vary within and between
What’s the point of adult apprenticeships?
There’s no reason to think older workers wouldn’t benefit from apprenticeships that helped them learn new skills and progress in their careers. But converting existing workers into apprentices to increase the numbers with qualifications is unlikely to help them fulfil their aspirations, say ALISON FULLER and LORNA UNWIN
As a universally understood model of learning, apprenticeship involves the development of occupational expertise. It is often conceived as a supported journey during which an individual matures and becomes a recognised member of an occupational community. It takes time to enable the individual to refine their vocational practice in the workplace and to acquire wider knowledge about the concepts and theories underpinning that practice. In this model, skilled vocational teachers and trainers play a key role. The model requires serious employer engagement and investment in, and commitment to, the creation of a highly trained workforce, with apprenticeships seen an integral element of sectors, but there are particular problems in England. Through research in a wide range of workplaces, we have developed the concept of the expansive–restrictive continuum (see Figure 1 opposite) as a tool for analysing why some apprenticeships offer so much more than others. The key characteristics include the extent to which apprentices are given access to (new) knowledge and skills and recognised vocational qualifications, and to structured on- and off-the-job training. Other critical factors include the degree to which apprenticeships incorporate the opportunity to learn about the whole-work process rather than only discrete tasks, and provide a platform for higher learning and career progression.
8 ADULTS LEARNING SPRING 2012
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48