Apprenticeship Program Research Articles

Bridging the GAP: Leveraging Partnerships to Bring Quality Nutrition Education to the Gardening Apprenticeship Program.

In the United States, about 12% of households are food-insecure, which can have negative health outcomes for children, including delayed development and early onset of obesity. Although many programs prioritize children, few evidence-based interventions exist for adolescents that address nutrition education. One promising intervention is teaching adolescents how to cook healthy meals. The Los Angeles Trust for Children's Health partnered with The Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust to integrate nutrition education and hands-on cooking demonstrations into an after-school program called the Gardening Apprenticeship Program at a local high school. Designed as a yearlong intervention, the Gardening Apprenticeship Program involves garden-based activities teaching food and environmental justice. Cultivating partnerships with other community-based organizations can help build capacity to pilot and replicate similar programs in other communities in food deserts.

Levelling up: towards decolonising apprenticeship learning

ABSTRACT With a focus on the Western-Canadian province of Manitoba, this article aims to develop a conceptual and empirical exploration of how apprenticeship learning can be transformed to meet the needs of Indigenous apprentices. Conceptually, the article layers an articulation of decolonising education onto apprenticeship learning in such a way as to explicitly support apprentices’ prior knowledge and recognise the socio-political context within which apprenticeship learning occurs. Empirically, the article draws on qualitative in-depth interviews with Indigenous carpentry apprentices about their experiences with on-the-job training in order to better understand how Indigenous adult learners negotiate well-documented systemic barriers to education and employment. By contrasting participants’ experiences in industry worksites to their experiences with Indigenous-centric curriculum offered by the Manitoba-based social enterprise BUILD, the article develops a discussion of how market-driven apprenticeship programmes limit the potential achievements of Indigenous learners and how a decolonising approach to apprenticeship learning that prioritises Indigenous epistemologies may result in higher levels of learner success.

The reflective practitioner: the challenges of supporting public sector senior leaders as they engage in reflective practice

PurposeThis paper explores the challenges, issues and benefits of reflective practice faced by work-based practitioners undertaking negotiated experiential learning. The study focuses upon the case of a ground-breaking UK-based Senior Leader Master's Degree Apprenticeship (SLMDA) programme which requires learners to develop and apply reflective practice skills through comprehensive work-based learning and research activities. Degree apprenticeships represent a significant opportunity for providers and employers to become more closely aligned in the joint development and promotion of innovative learning opportunities, yet the efficacy of individually negotiated, experiential learning and reflective practice for senior leaders within a challenging healthcare environment remains relatively unexplored from a tripartite perspective. This paper investigates the role of reflective practice within a leading degree apprenticeship programme which embraces this pedagogic approach and considers the potential barriers and benefits for learners and their organisations.Design/methodology/approachThe paper begins by discussing the nature of reflective practice in the workplace and explores the growing importance of this activity in contemporary organisations. Theoretical and conceptual foundations relating to experiential learning and reflective practice are analysed and discussed. The SLMDA programme and NHS case organisation are described in detail. Qualitative data drawn from semi-structured interviews undertaken with learners, employers and personal academic tutors (PATs) are then analysed to identify the key issues and challenges encountered.FindingsThe study identifies the benefits of reflective practice, explores the challenges and issues that act as barriers to reflective practice and highlights the importance of the role of the personal academic tutor (PAT) and that of employers in supporting and developing reflective practice in one of the first SLMDA programmes to launch within the UK.Originality/valueAlthough reflective practice and work-based research have attracted considerable scholarly activity, investigations have overwhelmingly been focused upon professions such as teaching and nursing and have explored challenges and issues from the perspective of the provider. This study explores reflective practice from the viewpoint of learners, employers and PATs and thereby seeks to complement and expand current understanding by developing a more holistic approach. This work will inform future programme design, practitioner skills development and employer support procedures as learners plan and prepare to facilitate work-based research projects within their organisations.

Investigating work-integrated learning and its relevance to skills development in degree apprenticeships

PurposePrevious research suggests that higher education provision, the government's knowledge-based economic agenda and the attributes employers look for in graduates are not always aligned, leading to a skill shortage and the production of graduates who are not “work ready”. Degree apprenticeships (DAs) are well placed to address this gap because employers are involved in both the design and delivery of higher education and work with higher education institutions (HEIs) to develop the skills both parties believe graduates need through work-integrated learning (WIL). This paper will address how DAs can be utilised to that purpose.Design/methodology/approachThis paper draws on data collected from students, ranging from their first to final years, enrolled in the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) programme at a higher education provider in London, UK. The national context of the UK is crucial both because of how DAs have been introduced by the government; how the pedagogical implications defer from other national contexts and work based provision and also because there are clear contrasts in how the private and public sector in the UK are “using” degree apprentices. The authors adopted an exploratory research design using semi-structured interviews and focus groups.FindingsThe authors argue that a reflective approach in assessed coursework, in conjunction with an explicit focus on the skill development of students, can enhance the experience of degree apprentices completing WIL modules. The authors highlight the potential of WIL modules in advancing the ability of degree apprentices to reflect on their practice while they are working and studying, a process which can have long- term benefits to their professional identity. The authors draw attention to the affordances given to apprentices to develop their professional identity drawing comparisons between the public and private sector in the UK.Originality/valueThis paper adds to the work on DAs and WIL currently being undertaken in the UK. By exploring the case study of a cohort of DAs engaging in productive reflection with regards to the skills they develop at the workplace and in the classroom, the authors point to a way in which module development can integrate such reflective elements.

STRATEGI KOMUNIKASI PENYULUHAN GURU BIMBINGAN KONSELING DALAM MEMBANTU SISWA MENENTUKAN JURUSAN DI PERGURUAN TINGGI

This study aims to determine the communication strategy of counseling guidance counselor (BK) teacher messages in guiding students to determine university majors in class XII students at SMAN 1 Sukaraja, what are the communication effects and what obstacles encountered by the Guidance Counseling teacher. This research uses Miles and Huberman data analyzing. The results show that the communication strategy of the counseling message give the counseling guidance teacher to help students determine university majors in class XII at SMAN 1 Sukaraja quite good in accordance with the communication strategy proposed by Hafied Cangara namely the determination of communicators, defines target and audience needs, preparation techniques message and media selection. Some of the obstacles that are no other than internal and external factors. Internal factors come from the school itself while external factors come from problems outside the school. The apprenticeship program from the school itself includes no campus surgical or carrer-B programs. External factors related from outside the school are family backgrounds that are less supportive of students in determining university majors. The community relations or public relation at school need to be made so that external factors could be stronger. More actively looking for scholarship programs, learning from the experience of seniors who have succeeded, balancing the desires of parents with personal ideals, so that such things must be able to be encouraging students.Keywords: communication strategy; counseling message; counseling guidance; students class XII.

Examining the Innovation Process of a Graduate Apprenticeship Program for Sport Organizations

This case study analyzed the innovation processes that led to the adoption of a work-integrated learning program among several sport organizations. A comparative case study analysis was used to deduce the commonly shared determinants between each of the sport organizations. Notably, having an innovation champion was a key determination. As well, lack of resources regarding staffing, the involvement of the managers with the participating higher education institution, the ease of contract design, and access to good candidates for the program were also influential in the innovation process. This study revealed, for sport organizations facing similar issues, that the graduate apprenticeship program could provide benefits. As well for sport management program, it could provide a stronger relationship with regional sport organizations. This research also extends the body of research regarding the underlying mechanisms by which sport organizations innovate generally.

Nursing associate apprenticeship – a descriptive case study narrative of impact, innovation and quality improvement

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to explore how one higher education institution (HEI) has embraced the apprenticeship agenda and is successfully providing an apprenticeship programme for nursing associates (NA) a new profession within health and social care in the United Kingdom.Design/methodology/approachThis is a descriptive case study narrative about one programme from one HEI, selected for its relevance for the subject area of apprenticeships. This descriptive approach allows the provision of apprenticeships within HEI to be explored in depth by one institution.FindingsThis case study identifies the considerable value of apprenticeships within HEI for the students, the employers and the HEI. It also identifies that there are challenges within this. These findings will be of interest to those entering into the apprenticeship arena, especially within healthcare, and may inform an academic discourse in this area.Research limitations/implicationsIt is acknowledged that this case study does not seek to compare apprenticeships with other programmes. However, there is value in providing an academic narrative around the challenges of this provision which will be informative for others developing higher apprenticeships in the United Kingdom or similar delivery of apprenticeship models internationally.Practical implicationsThere is value in providing an academic narrative around the challenges of this provision which will be informative for others developing higher apprenticeships in the UK or similar delivery of apprenticeship models internationallySocial implicationsThese findings will be of interest to those entering into the apprenticeship arena, especially within healthcare, and will inform the academic discourse in this area.Originality/valueThis is original work and provides a new body of knowledge to the inform HEIs engaging with the relatively new context of higher and degree apprenticeships, as well as the new role within healthcare of the nursing associate.

McGill University Faculty of Medicine.

McGill University Faculty of Medicine.

The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

The impact of dual apprenticeship programmes on early labour market outcomes: A dynamic approach

This study examines the impact of enrolling into dual apprenticeship programmes during secondary education on six early employment outcomes. Our contribution to the literature is threefold. First, we apply a method that has rarely been used in this literature to control for potential selection biases. Second, this method allows us to distinguish between the programmes’ direct effect (conditional on educational achievement) and indirect effect (via educational achievement) on labour market outcomes. Third, we examine the impact of two distinct dual apprenticeship programmes in a novel setting: Flanders (Belgium). We find evidence for short-term labour market advantages only for the programme with the most days of on-the-job training, which fade out quickly over time.

A Review on the Learning Process of the Modern Apprenticeship

It is commonly acknowledged that modern apprenticeship has played a positive role in preparing the young people for school-to-work transition around the world. The purpose of this literature review aimed to study the learning process of the modern apprenticeship from the perspective of a learning mode and discussed the obstacles that affect the learning process of the modern apprenticeship in China currently. The review showed that the learning process of the modern apprenticeship includes three dimensions: interaction, content and incentive. In the interaction dimension, apprentices learn through the interactive types of perception, transmission, experience, imitation, activity and participation. In terms of content dimension, school education and on-the-job training improve the knowledge and professional skills of apprentices through a series of curriculums and practical activities. In the dimension of incentive, the acquisition of apprentices’ learning depends on their values, emotions, interests and will basically. The three dimensions of interaction, content and incentive are closely connected and affect each other. However, there are some problems hindering the learning process of modern apprenticeship in China: The quality of mentoring is not good enough and the teachings in school are too theoretical and have rare relevance to the work. Therefore, the design and implementation of the apprenticeship programs should make the learning of interaction, content and motivation adapt to each other.

Skills Gap Challenge: How Apprenticeship Programs Address Skill Building and Educational Advancement

There are 7.3 million job openings in the United States (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019), however many of today’s workers don’t have the skills employers need (Accenture, 2019). The current job market reflects a complex set of employability issues when higher education, technical training and job fill rates are considered (Chaitanya, 2018; Moore & Morton, 2017). This has resulted in what many label as a skills gap or job readiness issue (Moore & Morton, 2017). A skills gap refers to the fact that employers seek new hires who are able to productively contribute on the job (Chaitanya, 2018; Decker, 2019) yet once employed hiring managers find that new employees are not adequately able to make those contributions. This disparity can have a detrimental impact on employers and organizations (e.g., lack of productivity, performance, ROI, etc.) as well as employees (e.g., turnover, poor person-job fit, unrealistic job expectations, low morale, etc.). To help fill the void created by this mismatch, organizations are investing in apprenticeship programs. While the benefits of these programs are significant, opportunities exist to maximize overall apprentice performance and success. We propose a cross-sectional quantitative and qualitative study to identify opportunities to increase organizational commitment, job performance and employee engagement for participants in an apprenticeship program at a Fortune 500 financial institution.

A review on cognitive apprenticeship in educational research: Application for management education

Cognitive apprenticeship has been widely recognized as an instructional model for developing higher-order cognitive skills. This article reviewed the literature on cognitive apprenticeship to apply this instructional model to the fields of management education and workplace learning. First, the characteristics of cognitive apprenticeship were described and compared to traditional apprenticeship. Then, literature was reviewed in the fields of educational management. It was found that the literature can be categorized by setting (workplace vs. classroom) and communication process (face-to-face vs. web-based). Research on workplace setting is limited, and most studies have focused on the method of cognitive apprenticeship rather than other components of the model such as content, sequence, and sociology. Based on the review, this paper proposes to: (1) create face-to-face and web-based cognitive apprenticeship programs for management education, (2) integrate a cognitive apprenticeship model with coaching research, including the coaching of students, and (3) develop a measurement scale for evaluating teachers and instructors in management education.

Understanding differences between apprenticeship programmes in Europe: towards a new conceptual framework for the changing notion of apprenticeship

ABSTRACT Comparative studies on ‘apprenticeships’ in Europe increasingly cover a variety of programmes previously not considered under this heading. The paper explores the potential of a new, combined cultural-historical and functional classification of apprenticeships on the basis of their underpinning training logic. Four main logics are discussed which categorise apprenticeships according to their key purpose and the responsibilities with regard to content, organisation and financing. It is argued that the typology can serve as an explanatory framework for ongoing changes in apprenticeship approaches and may be used for the identification of similarities and common challenges.

Promoting Intersectoral Action to Address Chronic Poverty and Social Exclusion

This work explores ways policy can be designed to incentivize impoverished people to change their decision making. It proposes the retargeting of a federal apprenticeship program to 16- and 17-year-olds from low-income families who drop out of school and choose to go early into the job market in Brazil. The study focused on a large-scale intervention across multiple actors and sectors. A multiple-baseline design across settings was carried out with the intervention in 6 municipalities in 3 phases. The results show that (a) intersectoral arrangements increased the supply and demand of apprenticeship positions and (b) apprenticeship increased school attendance on average. The provision of social services could be improved through intersectoral coordination, leading to increased access to better paying jobs, increased school attendance, and improved school-to-work transition.

Intergenerational Consequences of Births to Unmarried Women

Births to unmarried women have increased 10-fold, from about four percent in 1960 to 40 percent in 2018. Apart from teenagers, women of every age, race and ethnic group, and education level have contributed to this trend. A substantial literature reveals that children raised in two parent households fare better in life than those in any other household configuration. Many unmarried mothers inadvertently raise disadvantaged children, which is partly the product of low income that is common in non-traditional households. Exacerbating the effects of low income for these households are problems associated with family stress, household instability, and fewer parenting resources. The result is a tragedy for the children which also imposes high social costs. In 2020 about 20 percent of the prime age labor force, aged 25-54, was born to an unmarried woman. By 2050 it will be almost 40 percent. Their lower productivity undermines the social safety net that supports older Americans and is likely to increase the poverty rate when they retire even if Social Security benefits are sustained at the current level. High quality pre-school education programs that might improve the life chances of these children are explored as are vocational education and apprenticeship programs that target teens and young adults. Improving the marriage market might reduce the incidence of births to unmarried women. The corona-19 pandemic revealed how widespread economic insecurity is in the United States. Institutional reform that guarantees medical care, standard housing, and high quality day care for all citizens could relieve this insecurity with substantial benefits to children raised in non-traditional households.

Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal pain in masonry apprentices

The construction industry, specifically masonry, reports more work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) rates than the general industry. Masonry apprentices are assumed to be healthy, yet may have WMSDs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS), time loss, and healthcare use among apprentices. 183 brick and block masonry apprentices completed surveys on demographics, work history, MSS, and functional well-being. The prevalence of MSS was calculated by body region, time loss, and healthcare use. The relationship between MSS, and perceived global physical and mental health was assessed. Approximately 78% of apprentices reported MSS, most in several body regions. Low back and wrists/hands were most prevalent, although few missed work or sought healthcare. Lower functional health and well-being was reported. Apprentices reported MSS comparable to previous studies of journey-level masons. Apprenticeship programmes could integrate ergonomics education to help apprentices develop safety culture early in their careers. Practitioner Summary: New masonry workers (apprentices) are assumed to be healthy yet work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) may be common early in their career. The prevalence of MSS was assessed among apprentices. Approximately 78% of apprentices reported MSS, most in several body regions, comparable to journey-level masons. Abbreviations: WMSD: work-related musculoskeletal disorders; MSS: musculoskeletal symptoms; SAVE: SAfety voice for ergonomics; MNQ: modified nordic questionnaire; FTE: full-time equivalent; SF-12: short from-12v2

Contribuições da concepção de aprendizagem significativa de David Ausubel na formação de jovens aprendizes.

O presente artigo tem como propósito refletir sobre as contribuições da concepção de Aprendizagem Significativa de David Ausubel (1982) para a formação de aprendizes. Objetiva analisar a constituição do processo de ensino e aprendizagem do Programa Jovem Aprendiz (PJA) a partir de práticas educativas influenciadas pelas múltiplas contradições que permeiam a ação educacional demarcada por um espaço-tempo histórico, social e cultural. Este estudo bibliográfico estrutura-se a partir de: apontamentos iniciais sobre o PJA, aprendizagem e metodologia utilizada; discussão sobre aprendizagem significativa e prática educativa; caracterização do PJA e suas diretrizes bem como a interlocução entre estas e alternativas pedagógicas formativas. Conclui-se que a aprendizagem significativa resulta de uma prática pedagógica, que auxilia a formação da jovem classe trabalhadora, pois alicerçada ao conhecimento prévio, na análise crítica e intencionalidades garante o sucesso das ações realizadas, impedindo que o ensino fique restrito à esfera da idealização e desconectado de sua objetivação.

Data Science Degree Apprentice

In September 2019, 27 apprentices enrolled in the Level 6 Applied Data Science Degree Apprenticeship program, the first of its type in Wales. This article details the experiences of an apprentice on the course who works in the Data Science Campus at the Office for National Statistics. It summarizes how they have found the apprenticeship so far, the sort of data science projects they have been involved in, and the experience of studying for the degree at the same time.

Strategies for improving construction craftspeople apprenticeship training programme: Evidence from the UK

This study seeks to address two research questions: (i) what are the factors responsible for the non-completion of the craftspeople apprentice training programmes? and (ii) how can the non-completion of construction craftspeople apprenticeship programmes be improved? Eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with relevant stakeholders involved apprenticeship in the UK. The finding reveals that multiplicity of factors contribute to the non-completion of craftspeople apprenticeship. The study reveals that ’underestimation of the apprentice programme’, ’poor career guidance’ and inappropriate placement’ have not been previously mentioned in literature as factors responsible for the non-completion. Also, it was found that ‘improvements in recruitment methods’ and ‘improvements in learner’s experiences during apprenticeship’ are vital strategies for improving completion rates of craftspeople apprenticeships. By understanding these strategies, the construction sector would have a better chance of attracting and training a young workforce to meet its future needs. Young workforce is vital for improving productivity and organisational sustainability in the construction sector. The research contributes to the current body of knowledge by providing an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced in craftspeople apprenticeship training and how to improve its outcome.