Learning a trade - role of apprenticeships

Updating my literature on apprenticeships and apprenticeship systems as a prelude / preparation /getting into the right mindset towards my work on the Ako Aotearoa National fund project – Belonging, becoming and being: First year apprentices experiences in the workplace. Also a bit of an update towards the literature review chapter of my dissertation.

 

The 6 volume ‘International handbook of education for the changing world of work’ just arrived at our library and this will form the basis of several weeks of reading. Volume 1 lays out pedagogical foundations, volume 3 on TVET professionalism and Volume 4 on curriculum development and delivery are the most relevant for the moment. An associated book focusing on TVET research, handbook of technical and vocational education and training research’ requested for purchase but meanwhile, some tantalising snippets available on google books.

 

I also will need to catch up with material archived by several organisations. These include the:

Unesco-Unevoc site with links to various communities working on apprenticeship research.

There is the International network on innovative apprenticeship which has had 3 conferences so far and will be meeting again in 2011 in Beijing. Proceedings from the last conference in 2009 will be most relevant as it is on transition from school to work and building vocational identity.

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) is a more generalised site but has much of relevance.

Also with a European flavour is the European Educational Research Association which has a VET network called VETNET which has a more policy / strategic planning direction.

For vocational educators there is the International Vocational Education and training association (IVETA) which encourages links between vocational educators. The latest newsletter has an article on CPIT Trade Innovation Institute (TII)’s Tradefit project written by TII dean Fiona Haynes.

The United States had the National Center for Research in Vocational Education (NCRVE) which ceased to operate at the end of 1999. There is a National research centre for Career and technical Education (NCCTE). Currently featured a review of research in post –secondary transitions. Comprehensive links to US of A organisations relevant to voc ed also provided.

In the UK, the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative has a whole host of programmes including workplace learning strands on early career learning, learning as work and lifelong learning including Learning lives, identity and learning.

The Australian National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) maintains the extensive database (VOCED). I have used this resource for many years and it provides especially good coverage of commonwealth country based research into VET.

In NZ, the Industry Training Federation has hosted the NZ vocational education and research forum for several years & presentation are archived on their site. Also NZ relevant publications pertinent to my project. In addition, Ako Aotearoa had compiled a list of pertinent projects on workplace learning with some articles on apprenticeship and will continually update this resource with new and pertinent NZ & overseas research.

Overall, good to see progress being made in a variety of countries on TVET. NZ now has a small but active number of researchers in the VET area. Although much of this research is on strategic issues, there is still an interest in workplace learning in particular with learning in apprenticeship an important by-product.