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