5th International Conference, 23-24 April 2013, Johannesburg
Introducing an apprenticeship pathway in Swedish VET
- chances and difficulties in workplace learning
Ingrid BerglundStockholm University, Dept. of Education
Johannesburg, 23 April 2013
5th International Conference, 23-24 April 2013, Johannesburg
School-basedVET
programs
School-basedVET
programs
Appren-ticeshippathway
2011
Enhancing employabilityRaising the qualityImproving the throughput
Swedish Upper Secondary school – 3 year programs (post 16).After 2011 a more diversified system was introduced.
5th International Conference, 23-24 April 2013, Johannesburg
Swedish Apprenticeship Education- fundamentals
• Apprenticeship differs from models of apprenticeship in for example Austria, Denmark and Germany.
• Apprentices are not employed – they are students• Apprenticeship is (by the politicians) directed
towards students who risk to fail in school
5th International Conference, 23-24 April 2013, Johannesburg
Swedish Apprenticeship Education- regulations
• At least 50% of the curriculum content has to be carried out at workplaces
• A contract for every apprentice shall be signed prescribing the curriculum content that is intended to be realized at the workplace
• Trilateral talks between teacher, apprentice and workplce supervisor are proposed.
• The teacher has got the responsibility to:• follow-up and mark students• continuously inform students about their progress
5th International Conference, 23-24 April 2013, Johannesburg
Follow-up study of the national pilot project 2008/09 – 2010/11
• The study was commissioned by the Swedish National Agency for Education. Focus was on pedagogical aspects of apprenticeship
• Interviews and informal conversations with teachers, apprentices and supervisors. In total 100 hours of audio-recorded data, 40 visits to workplaces and 54 interviews in 11 schools from geographically various areas
• Three VET-programs were selected: – Building and construction (95 % men, apprenticeship tradition)– Health and care (90 % female, tradition of clinic supervision)– Business and administration (65 % female, 35 % men)
5th International Conference, 23-24 April 2013, Johannesburg
Findings
5th International Conference, 23-24 April 2013, Johannesburg
Border
School Workplace
5th International Conference, 23-24 April 2013, Johannesburg
Possibilities • School and workplace have
complementary functions– Recognition of potentials at school and
workplace– Investigation of what can be provided by
school and workplace respectively (school/workplace curriculum)
5th International Conference, 23-24 April 2013, Johannesburg
New school establishment • Many (independent) schools offering
apprenticeship education was established • Commonly the schools where not
prepared to give school-based education• Lack of workshops and equipment for
vocational education at schools• VET-teachers where not qualified for
apprenticeship education
5th International Conference, 23-24 April 2013, Johannesburg
Workplaces as educators• 80% of the curriculum content in vocational courses has
to be carried out at workplaces• The production at the workplace sets the limit for what is
possible to learn• Narrow production ↔ curriculum content• Rotation between workplaces or not• Supervision is not made explicit – lack of supporting
structure for supervision• Supervisors is commonly not aware of their commitment
5th International Conference, 23-24 April 2013, Johannesburg
School to workplace• Workplace is provided by school/teacher
or brought by the apprentices themselves• The successful/competent apprentices:
– understand the culture of the vocation– have vocational experiences– show their interest for the vocation and the
workplace
5th International Conference, 23-24 April 2013, Johannesburg
Limitations• A shortage of workplaces• The vocational ”culture” sets limitations• The apprentice’s behaviour ”social
competence” is not good enough – assessed by teachers and supervisors
• The apprentice does not want to stay at the workplace or is sent back to school by the workplace supervisor