Transcript What are the features of high-quality traineeships, and

What are the features of
high-quality traineeships?
Erica Smith
University of Ballarat
VISTA conference 2008
Apprenticeships
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Employers are only in it for the incentives.
RTOs are only in it for the user choice
funding.
Employers don’t provide any real training.
The apprentice would develop the skills
anyway.
Most apprentices don’t want a long-term
career in the industry.
It’s a waste of public money.
The qualifications are Mickey Mouse.
The jobs aren’t skilled and it doesn’t matter
if they aren’t done well.
You wouldn’t say that
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… so why do so many people talk about
traineeships like that?
Spot the skill
Which of those jobs..
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Is of importance to the economy?
Is of importance to the lives of ordinary
people?
Has a high manual skill content?
Requires high skills in dealing with people?
Requires a body of underpinning
knowledge?
Deserves to have a qualification?
Deserves to receive public funding for
people training for the job?
A little bit of VET history
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The traditional roots of apprenticeships
The Kirby report 1985 (a time of high
unemployment)
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NETTFORCE
User choice
Availability of contracts of training to adults
and to part-time workers (….and to women)
Apprenticeship jobs in comparative decline
historically
‘Typical’ traineeships now Cert III not Cert II
Our project
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Identifying the features of high-quality
traineeships
Funded by NCVER, $69,785
Research team: Erica Smith, Paul Comyn,
Ros Brennan Kemmis, Andy Smith
Research dates: August 2007-March 2008.
Reference group: Service Skills Australia,
DEST, NCVER, Group Training Australia
A definition of quality
‘In its broadest sense, ‘quality’ incorporates
assessment of outputs, processes and
outcomes and takes into consideration the
relevant objectives and resources.
Assessment of quality involves the use of
information gathered from key interests… to
identify differences between expect-ations
and experience of users’.
Australian National Audit Office
Meaning of ‘quality’ in traineeships
Quality component
Meaning in traineeships
Outputs
Calibre and industry acceptance of graduated trainees
Pathways to higher qualifications
Processes
Pedagogy (on and off the job)
Employer-trainee psychological contract
Interaction among users, providers, intermediary organisations and
governments
Outcomes
The contribution of trainees to companies and to Australia’s stock of
skills
Objectives
Determining key objectives of the traineeship system: labour market
program or skill formation?
Resources
Who should pay for traineeship training and who benefits?
Research questions
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What can be described (by various stakeholders) as a
high quality traineeship?
What organisational and pedagogical features
contribute to high quality traineeships?
What are the effects of variables such as employment
practices, industry area, Training Package content and
structure, industry traditions, social construction of the
industry area ?
In what circumstances are quality features displayed?
How far are the features replicable in other
traineeships and how can this be done?
Research method 2007-8
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Interviews with 13 high level stakeholders:
DEST, DEWR, ACCI, peak bodies for
AACs, Group Training Organisations, a
sample of STAs etc.
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Six case studies: Retail, meat processing
(abattoirs), cleaning, general construction,
finance, child care
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Each case study incorporates two company
exemplars as well as other interviews.
What do people think
traineeships are for?
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Develop and/or upgrade people’s skills and
contribute to their long-term career
development
Contribute to the skill levels of Australia
Provide an asset to the employer and to the
industry
A recruitment carrot
A lower-risk alternative to apprenticeships (for
the worker and the employer)
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A more authentic form of training than
institution-based qualifications and one that
delivers skills more quickly
How can it be done?
Employers
Employer-based high quality
features (1) Organisation
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Be aware of obligations
Access any available professional development
for employers
Good selection of trainees (including existing
workers - don't force people onto the program)
A good induction process and a plan for work
for the period of the traineeship
Allocation of a specific supervisor and a mentor
if appropriate; train them
Build on in-house training programs and link to
organisational strategy
Employer-based high quality
features (2) Pedagogy
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Allow time release for training (formal/informal).
Try to get trainees together even if they work
shifts.
Allow trainees to experience a range of
environments and to practice skills.
Pay special attention to trainees that move
between worksites (eg construction, cleaning).
Closely monitor the performance of the RTO.
Don’t let the RTO over-use RPL if not
appropriate.
If workplace assessors are used make sure
they are skilled enough.
How can it be done?
RTOs
RTO-based high quality
features (1) Organisation
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Select appropriate qualifications and electives
to suit the employer and the trainee.
Provide pathways to higher level qualifications.
Employ trainers that are committed to, and
experienced in, the industry.
Provide an ‘induction’ process off the job.
Be flexible but firm with off the job training .
Keep in close touch with the trainee and the
employer.
Regular monitoring and review both of trainees
and of the program.
RTO-based high quality
features (2) Pedagogy
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Treat learners as individuals
Arrange programs to suit client groups
Good learning resources: don’t use
workbooks that all look the same
Provide literacy/numeracy support if
necessary
Don’t over-RPL
Pay proper attention to underpinning
knowledge
Work closely with at-risk trainees
How can it be done?
Policies
Ideas for policy change
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Weight incentives more heavily towards
completions.
Tie funding to certain features such as selection
processes and the presence of off-the-job
training.
More obligations on employers eg to undertake
training.
Better training for staff in intermediary
organisations.
Weed out poor quality providers.
Increase user choice funding in high-cost
industries to reduce temptation to cut corners.
The importance of
relationships
More than the sum of the parts
– the importance of
relationships
Between the trainee and the employer
‘Quite often they'd rather have the relationship
than a higher paid job, you know, they want
to be interested, they want to feel
connected in the workplace. We’re starting
to see that as an emerging pattern in
industry (and that's not just in traineeships
that’s in apprenticeships as well) where you
can see that connection happening … quite
often a lot of the quality flows back from
that.’
.. Between the employer and
the RTO
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‘If an apprentice, or a trainee just goes
out of the workplace and does
something which the employer never
knows about, if there's no
organisational structure to support the
parts that are hanging together, then
you can't expect the whole thing to be
effective’
…Between all of the support
bodies
‘they all don’t quite understand the
role of everyone else’
 ‘some employers say that there’s just
too many players… there’s always
someone here walking through the
door’
So…. The need for one initial contact
point- AACs?
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Example 1: General
construction in WA
Example 2: Indigenous banking
program in a national bank
Example 3: Cleaning in
Victoria
General lessons for RTOs
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Select qualifications for the learner not vice
versa
Target industry needs and learner needs
Employ high quality trainers
Deliver the underpinning knowledge
Be cautious with RPL
Use high quality instructional design
Have confidence in the quality of what you do
and know how to explain its quality
Monitor and evaluate constantly
Support students with LLN and other needs
What’s next?
The project team is preparing its draft
final report
 National traineeship forum scheduled
for Friday August 15th in Melbourne
www.ncver.edu.au
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