What is the effectiveness of fully on-the-job training for carpentry apprenticeships? - PowerPoint Presentation

1. What is the effectiveness of fully on-the-job training for carpentry apprenticeships? Victorian researchBarry WrightOctoberVET 7 November 2018

2. OverviewDefinitionQuestionsPurposeContext and backgroundRelated workMethodologyFindingsRecommendations2

3. Purpose of the researchA qualitative study that examined the experiences of apprentices and employers in the construction trades (carpentry) that are engaged in fully on-the-job training.3

4. Fully on-the-job training – definition usedFully on-the-job means that all training is delivered at the workplace rather than in an institution or training centre. Fully on-the-job training must still include structured training arrangements. The apprentice’s competence is acquired solely through the performance of normal work duties, with some self-managed or facilitated training as well as receiving support from a teacher and or trainer. 4

5. What is the perceived effectiveness of fully on-the-job training for carpentry apprentices?Sub Questions1. What are the benefits and challenges of fully on-the-job training for apprentices and employers using this mode of training?How do the different modes of training - fully on-the-job and dual mode compare?How do different participants (apprentices, employers and focus group members) view the different modes of training?How can fully on-the-job training deal with apprentices with narrow job roles? 5

6. Why am I Interested Good fit with my current professional vocationCould help shape future delivery strategiesStrong interest in the specialisation of the construction sector6

7. Purpose of the ResearchExamined the experiences of apprentices involved in fully on-the-job training – what do they see as the benefits?Examined the experiences of the employers who use fully on-the-job training – why did they select this method and what did they see as the benefits?Looked at the implications if this method is not effective?Do apprentices gain the underpinning knowledge, basic principles and skills to succeed in the construction sector?7

8. Context and backgroundApprenticeship – the journey an individual takes in order to acquire specific disciplinary vocational knowledge, applied skills, values and processes associated with a particular occupation (Fuller & Unwin, 2009)Apprenticeship – first and foremost apprenticeship is an employment arrangement that combines a training program to develop an individuals competency in the context of a job (Australian Industry Group, 2013)Apprenticeship – employment and training contract involving the employer, apprentice, registered Training Organisation (RTO) with formal training plans and joint sign-off when reaching competence of units within the Training PackageNotionally off-the-job apprenticeship training component is 40 days per year over three years but can be accelerated if deemed competent by both employer and RTO 8

9. Context and background…cont.Confirmation of successful attainment of trade qualificationsConstruction industry in Australia – large, diverse and complexFourth largest contributor to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at 8% Sector is made up of very small or very large organisations with a large proportion being self employedLarge proportion of employees work as sub-contractorsSub-contractors are hired by general contractors to work on a specific piece of work because they have specialised expertiseHeavy reliance on apprenticeship as a means of training and workforce development within the industry (Construction & Property Services Industry Skills Council - CPSIC 2013)9

10. Context and background…cont.Governments around the world are concerned with skills development as skills are considered essential to driving innovation, competitiveness and productivityApprenticeship is and has been a strong school to work vehicleAustralian apprenticeship has seen major and ongoing reforms since the mid ninetiesThe number of apprentices/trainees in Australia has seen significant decreases since 2013 (National Centre for Vocational Education Research - NCVER, March. 2018)10

11. Related work in the field?Substantial research exploring the understanding of apprenticeship both at state, national and international levelTraining comparison of the blended model of on-the-job and off-the-job (Harris, Willis, Simons, 1998)Review of the quality of training in Victoria’s apprenticeship and traineeship system (Schofield, 2000)Expansive and restrictive apprenticeship (Fuller & Unwin, 2010)Learning in the workplace (Billett, 2001)Contemporary apprenticeships and international perspective (Fuller & Unwin, 2013)Apprenticeship in a globalised world (Akoojee, Gonon, Hauschildt & Hoffman, 2013)Architecture for Apprenticeships: Achieving Economic and Social Goals (Smith, Gonon and Foley (eds), 2015)11

12. Gaps in the literatureVery little literature in fully on-the-job learning in apprenticeships (most of what exists relates to traineeships)Examination of the affects of sub-contracting in the construction apprentices (sub-contracting refers to specialisation in certain areas) 12

13. Significance of this research?13Empirical research deficitExamining and understanding the effectiveness of this method of training determining whether the apprentice gains the skills and competencies outlined in the qualification and training planIdentifying the enabling factors and or barriers will improve the practice associated with this method of trainingFinding/s could support different attitudes to the way apprentices are trained and could be expanded in a quality assured wayCould contribute to the national debate on the quality of the VET system in AustraliaIf the method is not effective it could place training and value of the qualification in jeopardyImplications for the apprentice, employers, teachers, RTO and industry

14. MethodologyQualitative study – interactive to obtain individuals views using a two staged approachStage 1Interviews conducted with carpentry apprentices engaged with fully on-the-job trainingApprentices recruited from GippslandEmployer interviews aligned to the apprentices Intermediary focus groups from Gippsland and Bendigo made up of Group Training Organisations, Australian Apprentice Service Centres, RTO’s and TAFE teachers comparisonInterviews conducted with carpentry apprentices engaged with the dual mode trainingEmployer interviews aligned to the apprentices 14

15. MethodologyStage 2Re-interview as many of the apprentices as possible after 6 -8 month duration (by phone) Progression, maturity and more familiar with daily tasks and context of the apprenticeshipData transcribed following each set of interviews Data analysis and synthesising to identify and categorise particular themes and trendsUsing an Effects Matrix (Miles & Huberman, 1994) to display the findings15

16. Findings Apprentice don’t know what they don’t knowAll apprentices engaged in fully on-the-job liked it but identified some issues Training wasn’t really explained to them all that well Employers acknowledge that at times the RTO un-organised when visiting worksite and so lack of preparation hinders discussion and sign-offEmployers acknowledge socialisation for their apprentice/s and look to send them to short courses (scaffolding etc.) recognising importance of interactionSome employers cognisant of narrow job roles and try to compensateApprentices acknowledge socialisation in rural remote locations Focus groups very sceptical due the high volume low margin builders engaging subcontractors. They believe that the apprentices cannot be learning all that they should given the narrow job roles.Some members who work for private RTOs and peak body construction groups agree that not all the competencies can be gained from fully on-the-job training 16

17. Findings Employer (Paul) “I would be very disappointed from an industry approach if they got rid of offsite training. Like I’ve said fully on-the-job training has worked for us but it is not going to work for everyone and it would be a bad thing for the industry if that happened because it becomes – I’ve seen it like I mentioned to you before – very relaxed. Apprentices are not getting the training that they need.” Employers that apprentices are an investment in business, the industries future but also has an economical outcome with cheaper labourEmployers questioned the commitment of the TAFE teachers up-to-date practices, vocational currency17

18. Findings Member of the Bendigo focus group who was a trainer who had worked in both public and private RTOs and now for HIA “ I have been looking at the Certificate III training package, and it is a sizable qualification. I have also been mapping the detail of the units against the various documents and I simply cannot see how all of the required skills, knowledge and performance evidence can be covered on the job. I hazard to say that I don’t think any theory will be taught along with other relevant content” 18

19. Recommendations Better data to be retained by federal government to clearly identify those apprentices being trained using the fully on-the-job trainingNarrow job roles or specialised areas of employment should be excluded from fully on-the-job trainingArrangements for apprentices to network using communities of practice or peer learning should be mandatory when fully on-the-job training model is employed to avoid isolationFor rural and remotely located apprentices an additional and more rigorous assessment framework should be introduced to ensure that the skills and knowledge that are to acquired meet all the competenciesTo cater for high volume users of fully on-the-job training an independent assessor should be considered to ensure the integrity and confidence of the model 19

20. ReferencesAkoojee, S., Gonon, P., Hauschildt, U., Hofman, C. (Eds) Apprenticeship in a globalised world: Premises, promises and pitfalls. Lit Verlag GmbH & Co. Zurich. Australian Industry Group. (2013). Apprenticeships: Achieving Excellence. Education and Training . Australian Industry Group, Sydney.Billett, S. (2001). Learning in the workplace: strategic for effective practice. Allen and Unwin. Sydney Australia.Construction & Property Services Industry Skills Council (CPSISC). (2013). Environmental scan 2012 – 2013. Canberra, ACT: Australian Government.Fuller, A. & Unwin, L. (2009). Change and continuity in apprenticeship: the resilience of a model of learning. Journal of Education and Work, 22:5, pp 405 – 416.Fuller, A. & Unwin, L. (2010). Learning as apprentices in the Contemporary UK Workplace: creating and managing expansive and restrictive participation. Centre for Labour Market Studies, University of Leicester.Fuller, A. & Unwin, L. (2013). Contempary apprenticeship: international perspectives on an evolving model of learning. Routledge, Oxon UK.Harris, R., Willis, P. & Simons, M. (1998). Learning on the job: juggling the messages in an on-the-job and off-the-job training. NCVER, Adelaide20

21. References 21Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press. CambridgeMiles, M. B. and Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis. Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks, California.National Centre for Vocational Education Research December quarter Report (Sept. 2015). Apprentices and trainees – Australian vocational education and training statistics. NCVER, Adelaide.Schofield, K. (2000). Delivering quality: report of the independent review of the quality of training in Victoria’s apprenticeship and traineeship system: volume 1. Department of Education, Employment and Training, Melbourne. Smith, E. Gonon, P. Foley, A. (Eds.) (2015). Architectures for Apprentices: Achieving Economic and Social Goals. Australian Scholarly Publishing, North Melbourne.Wood, s. (2004). Fully on-the-job training: Experiences and step[s ahead. Adelaide, SA: National Centre for Vocational Education Research.