The purpose of this paper is to: first, outline the features of the contemporary apprenticeship system, and its performance in terms of the numbers starting and completing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to: first, outline the features of the contemporary apprenticeship system, and its performance in terms of the numbers starting and completing programmes; and second, to report the findings of empirical research which sought to identify the characteristics of effective apprenticeship.
Design/methodology/approach
Two contrasting sectors were selected to identify aspects of provision that generate “success”: “engineering”, which has a long tradition of apprenticeships and “business administration”, which has a shorter history of involvement. Four organizations, two from each sector, were selected from those, which had gained the highest grade in the formal inspection of apprenticeship provision undertaken by the Adult Learning Inspectorate. Interviews were carried out with training personnel and investigated issues such as the organisation's rationale(s) for employing apprentices; the costs and benefits associated with the approach; the structure of the training and the pedagogical processes employed; and the links between the programme and career progression.
Findings
The findings in the paper indicate that effective apprenticeships are strongly associated with a sustained organisational commitment to apprenticeship. This stems from an identifiable business case to recruit and train young people and a concern with their personal (long‐term) as well as job‐specific (short‐term) development. This approach is manifested through the development of programmes which ensure that apprentices participate in a wide range of co‐ordinated and progressive work and learning opportunities.
Originality/value
The paper identifies a range of good practice features emerging from the case studies and discusses the prospects for extending this approach to other industries and occupations.
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Data collected from a preliminary evaluation of theCompacts Initiative are assessed. Interviews wereconducted with a range of people involved in thescheme in five case study…
Abstract
Data collected from a preliminary evaluation of the Compacts Initiative are assessed. Interviews were conducted with a range of people involved in the scheme in five case study projects. Four key issues are discussed which draw out some of the tensions and debates in the early phase of this Initiative and which are of interest to Compacts participants and those associated with education training and industry links. These issues and the areas of practice to which they relate will influence the way Compacts is judged over the next few years.
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Alison Fuller and Murray Saunders
This article identifies a central paradox in “openlearning” – that in a commercial context its“openness”, seen from instrumental andprescriptive perspectives, will be restricted…
Abstract
This article identifies a central paradox in “open learning” – that in a commercial context its “openness”, seen from instrumental and prescriptive perspectives, will be restricted. The authors suggest that the effective implementation of open learning in work organisations requires the kind of planning, co‐ordination and structure which so reduces learner empowerment that “differentiated training” becomes a more appropriate term. The authors consider the practical implications of their findings.
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THE NEW REFORMATION SOCIETY, founded apparently at the end of 1860, finds no place in Greenwood's Free Public Libraries (1886), and from its title appears to deserve no such…
Abstract
THE NEW REFORMATION SOCIETY, founded apparently at the end of 1860, finds no place in Greenwood's Free Public Libraries (1886), and from its title appears to deserve no such place. But Greenwood was an Englishman and a Liberal, and the Society owes both its character and its relevance to libraries to its founder, the Scots‐born businessman, Alexander Alison. Since in Britain authoritarian politics are never taken seriously, the man and the body deserve some attention.
Alison Fuller, Vanessa Beck and Lorna Unwin
Gender segregation has been a persistent feature of apprenticeship programmes in countries around the world. In the UK, the Modern Apprenticeship was launched ten years ago as the…
Abstract
Purpose
Gender segregation has been a persistent feature of apprenticeship programmes in countries around the world. In the UK, the Modern Apprenticeship was launched ten years ago as the government's flagship initiative for training new entrants in a range of occupational sectors. One of its priorities was to increase male and female participation in “non‐traditional” occupations, that is, those normally practised by just one sex. However, recent figures show that the programme has failed to achieve its aim and this has prompted an investigation by the Equal Opportunities Commission. This paper aims to report the research as part of this investigation.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents quantitative and qualitative evidence on the attitudes of young people (aged 14 and 15) and employers to non‐traditional occupational choices. It also explores the factors affecting the decisions of young people to train in a non‐traditional occupation and the recruitment decisions of employers from “traditional sectors”, such as engineering, the construction trades and child care.
Findings
The research provides evidence of the deeply entrenched nature of occupational stereotypes and the psychological and social barriers that have to be overcome if a more evenly balanced workforce is to be created. It also reveals that none of the institutions and organisations which act as gatekeepers between young people and employers is, as yet, taking responsibility for challenging their perceptions and decision‐making processes.
Originality/value
The paper concludes by highlighting the implications of the research findings to stakeholders and suggesting a holistic approach to tackling gender segregation.
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Takes as its starting‐point the need for new ways of approachingmanagement development. Introduces the competence‐based model promotedby the Management Charter Initiative and…
Abstract
Takes as its starting‐point the need for new ways of approaching management development. Introduces the competence‐based model promoted by the Management Charter Initiative and outlines a conceptual framework for conceiving the value of qualifications. Distinguishes and explores notions of use and exchange value. Uses a case study based on interviews with 58 managers to examine perceptions on, and experiences of, a competence‐based management development programme. Discusses the wider implications of the findings and concludes that biographical information helps to explain individuals′ reactions to training and qualifications opportunities.
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The purpose of this paper is to create a parallel timeline between the Zimbabwe Librarian, the national trade journal for librarianship during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to create a parallel timeline between the Zimbabwe Librarian, the national trade journal for librarianship during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, government statistics, non‐governmental information, media reports, and other secondary sources to determine the effects of Zimbabwe's political and economic fortunes on libraries.
Design/methodology/approach
The primary methodology is a review of secondary sources in the form of trade journals, economic data and media reports. The approach of the paper is to compare the state of libraries in Zimbabwe during the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2005, showing the change in librarianship and library services as economic prosperity changed dramatically.
Findings
The policies of three successive governments have promised support for libraries but have ultimately been unable to implement a national library system. Libraries in 2008 have fewer resources available than they had in the 1960s.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is based on media sources as well as statistical data. The Zimbabwe Librarian ceased as a quarterly journal in approximately 1997. Since 2000, it has been issued as a semi‐annual journal. The author had access to a limited span of the Zimbabwe Librarian; therefore, this article focuses on the period from 1969‐1995. Media sources available in Zimbabwe after 2001 are frequently propaganda organizations.
Originality/value
This article provides an overview of historical and current events in the Zimbabwe library community in the light of political and economic events.