Belonging to a workplace: first-year apprentices’ perspectives on factors determining engagement and continuation through apprenticeship

Abstract

The transition to work through apprenticeship is one taken by many young people. A sense of belonging to a workplace is posited to be an important precursor for initial and on-going engagement with practice communities. This article details a study of beginning apprentices in ten trades. The project sought to identify factors influencing apprentices’ decisions to enter and commit to apprenticeship. Through comparisons of the experiences of continuing and disengaged first-year apprentices, processes of belonging to a workplace were found to be important contributors to apprenticeship continuation. Factors contributing to apprentices’ perceptions of belongingness are identified, examined and discussed.