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DRAFT
C O N T E N T S
Q U A L I T Y O F T R A I N I N G I N A P P R E N T I C E S H I P S A N D T R A I N E E S H I P S
Contents
Contents Page
Executive summary 2
Introduction 9
Emerging themes 12
Key channels to the STS 14
Quality of on-the-job training 19
Quality of off-the-job training 25
Overall satisfaction 31
Appendix A - Focus group participants 34 Appendix B - Focus group protocol 37
Appendix C - Survey instrument 39
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Executive summary
The report This report summarises key findings of four focus groups with Victorian apprentices and trainees. In total, 28 students participated in focus groups. Focus groups were undertaken as part of a broader review project into the effectiveness and quality of apprenticeships and traineeships in the Victorian State Training System.
Overview A scan of the experiences of apprentices and trainees clearly demonstrates the many positive successes of the State Training System. Reflecting this, many students comment that they are thoroughly enjoying their training and have developed many new skills and abilities in the process. Other students are also benefiting from their training on a personal level through new friendships, improved self-confidence and a better lifestyle.
A scan of student attitudes, expectations and feelings also suggests that:
Issue Key observation
Aspects of apprenticeship/
traineeship system which students consider important
On-the-job training is generally considered to be the most important part of an apprenticeship/traineeship, and quality of on-the-job training received is the most important driver of student satisfaction. Students also see it impor- tant to receive a high quality induction upon commencing their training, which ideally should include:
• allocation of a mentor or supervisor to the student
• a formal introduction to the company
• a session with their employer to plan learning
• information on the employer’s expectations
• support on who to see or what to do if the student has concerns.
What apprentices/
trainees expect to get out of their
apprenticeship/
traineeship
Students pursue apprenticeships/traineeships for a variety of reasons including to pursue life-long interests, to leave school, to work overseas and in the case of some trainees, to receive a formalised qualification. Traineeships were seen to be beneficial, in that they do not tie students to a lengthy course of study.
Apprenticeships and traineeships were also seen to offer the following benefits over other forms of education (eg. HSC, university):
• a more practical or "hands-on" form of education
• more flexibility than other forms of study
• more marketable skills and abilities
• improved future employment opportunities
• an opportunity to earn money as you learn and for some;
• a conduit to a future job, without having to pursue university or the HSC.
While students expectations were generally met on these dimensions, some students find it difficult to select an apprenticeship/traineeship to match their
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Student knowledge about their rights and obligations as an apprentice/trainee
Most students have a limited understanding of their rights and obligations as an apprentice/trainee. This extends to issues such as pay entitlements, work- ing conditions, WHS and tenure commitments on signing a training agree- ment. Accordingly, there is room to improve the information provided to students by employers on commencing a course of training.
Security of apprenticeships/
traineeships
While students at times have concerns about the continuity of their appren- ticeship/traineeship, security of training is generally not a major issue of student concern, and does not appear to impact significantly on students.
Support during an apprenticeship/
traineeship
Employer support can literally make or break an apprenticeship/traineeship.
Explaining to students where to seek support during their training is critical, and also an important driver of student satisfaction. Despite the importance of employer support, findings show that many students (particularly in blue- collar professions) receive less-than-optimal support during their training.
Quality of on- and off-the-job training
While students in many fields are receiving high quality on-the-job training (eg. hospitality), on-the-job training in some blue collar fields and in office administration traineeships, is typically seen to be poor. Universally, a number of students also find off-the-job training (eg. at TAFE) to be of limited chal- lenge. Accordingly, students see room for improving on-the-job training in some fields, and off-the-job training at TAFE more generally.
Student assessment, learning materials and experiences with TAFE providers
While students sing praise for the skills and support provided by TAFE teachers, many students do not find their TAFE studies nor assessment pieces to be very challenging. Learning materials are similarly often seen to be overly simplistic. Assessment in some training areas (eg. hairdressing and office administration traineeships) is seen to be so easy, that students question the value of their TAFE studies.
Improvements to the apprenticeship/
traineeship system as suggested by students
Generally speaking, students found it difficult to explicitly identify ways to improve the current apprenticeship/traineeship system. As such, most improvement initiatives are implicit and are based on attitudes, expectations and feelings expressed by students during focus groups. Detailed improve- ment strategies are presented in the following table.
Explicit suggestions offered by students, however, included:
• support to students in selecting the right apprenticeship/traineeship
• closer monitoring of employers during apprenticeships/traineeships
• acknowledgement by the STS each year when a student successfully completes a year of an apprenticeship/traineeship
• making TAFE assessment pieces more challenging for students who want to be challenged.
Issue Key observation
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Major findings Together, these observations have significant implications for the future of the STS, and in turn, important implications for the competitiveness of Victoria both nationally and internationally. Major findings of focus groups, their implications for the review and possible strategy directions are discussed in the following table.
In summary, major findings include:
Finding 1. Students perceive apprenticeships/traineeships to offer a number of benefits over other forms of education
Finding 2. There is room to improve the selection of apprenticeships/traineeships by students
Finding 3. Students in blue-collar fields and office administration are receiving poor inductions on commencing an apprenticeship/traineeship.
Finding 4. There is room to improve the quality of on-the-job training in blue-collar fields and office administration traineeships.
Finding 5. There is room to improve key aspects of off-the-job training received by apprentices/trainees.
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QUALITY OF
APPRENTICESHIPS AND TRAINEESHIPS IN THE STS
Key findings Description Implications for review Strategy directions
Finding 1.
Students perceive apprenticeships/
traineeships to offer a number of benefits over other forms of education
Relative to other forms of training, apprentices/traineeships are seen to:
• offer more practical education
• be more flexible than other study
• improve employment opportunities
• be a conduit to a future job, without having to pursue university/an HSC
• offer real-world experience.
These characteristics repre- sent key benefits of the STS over other forms of educa- tion, and could be leveraged to attract students to choose apprenticeships/traineeships as their preferred form of training and further educa- tion.
Key benefits of apprenticeships/
traineeships should be promoted in future marketing strategies designed to attract potential students to the STS.
Finding 2.
There is room to improve the selec- tion of apprentice- ships/traineeships by students
Many students find it difficult to select an apprenticeship/traineeship which matches their professional needs and personal characteristics.
In some situations, students have limited understanding of the nature of appren- ticeships/traineeships and a limited under- standing of key aspects of the STS.
In turn, this results in some students selecting vocations which they do not like, or are not well-suited.
Students who do not select training in line with key needs typically become dis- satisfied with their appren- ticeship/traineeship.
Many students find this disheartening and are less likely to pursue vocational education in the future.
Accordingly, improving the selection of training by stu- dents represents an impor- tant way to improve the effectiveness of the appren- ticeship/traineeship system.
This may also help to address retention issues and increase client satisfaction with training.
Develop a program of support initiatives to help facilitate improved selection of apprentice- ships/traineeships by students.
Consider:
• development and promotion of a career counselling ser- vice to help improve the selection of training - this could be branded and delivered physically through TAFE providers, or “virtually”
through TAFE Online
• development of a program of communications for schools to provide students with an understanding of the nature of apprenticeships/trainee- ships and how to select the most suitable field of training
• develop and distribute literature and resources on apprenticeships/traineeships to schools, CentreLink Offices and other relevant locations.
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Finding 3.
Students in blue- collar fields and office administration are receiving poor inductions on commencing an apprenticeship/
traineeship.
While some students are given high qual- ity inductions into their training (eg. in hospitality, hairdressing, nursing and health care), students in certain fields tend to receive poor quality inductions from their employers.
Poor quality inductions tend to occur in traditional blue collar apprenticeships/
traineeships and to a lesser extent, in office administration traineeships.
Students in these fields are typically given limited information about their training, WHS, working conditions and pay entitle- ments - “I was just chucked in. No-one sat down with me to explain anything. I was just given something to do”.
Characteristics of high quality inductions were seen to be where students were:
• able to plan their learning
• assigned a mentor
• given an introduction to a firm
• given information on the employer’s expectations of their performance
• encouraged to approach the employer if they have concerns.
A good quality induction provides a strong foundation for raising student awareness about their rights and obliga- tions as an apprentice/
trainee.
If a poor quality induction occurs, students typically become dissatisfied with their training, and in some cases, are unlikely to con- tinue with their chosen voca- tion.
From this perspective, a quality introduction to a firm can literally make or break an apprenticeship/trainee- ship.
Accordingly, the current review should implement measures to improve training inductions, with a view to increasing student satisfaction with apprentice- ships/traineeships.
Develop and implement measures to improve the overall quality of inductions received by students on signing of training agreements.
Consider:
• development of a practical
“checklist” tool which employers could follow to improve the quality of inductions they provide
• face-to-face communications with employers and peak industry associations to build an understanding of the importance of quality inductions and how to provide these to students (This would be significantly more effective than written materials, as the latter is typically not effective as a communication tool)
• visiting TAFE providers to encourage pre-vocational students to ask their employ- ers to clarify a range of issues on commencing training.
QUALITY OF
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Key findings Description Implications for review Strategy directions
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Finding 4.
There is room to improve the quality of on-the-job training in blue-collar fields and office administration traineeships.
The quality of on-the-job training is a major driver of student satisfaction with an apprenticeship/traineeship, and is more important to students than off-the-job training.
While many students are receiving high quality on-the-job training from employ- ers (eg. apprentice hairdressers and chefs, health trainees), some students reported receiving limited or no on-the-job training at all.
This tends to occur mostly in blue-collar fields, and to a lesser extent, in office administration.
In blue collar fields, students report that employers:
• have a negative attitude towards the notion of training
• claim they have too little time to train students
• sometimes victimise students for ask- ing questions or “learning on the job”
• view students as labour, rather than employees in training
• do not provide students with higher level tasks to nurture higher level skills.
In office administration traineeships, there is indication that employers use trainees as “gophers” and do not always train to cultivate core administration skills - “I was told to wipe the fingerprints from the stair case railing”.
In all areas, there is also indication that the objectivity of on-the-job assessment pro- cedures could be improved.
Together, key findings sug- gest that there is room to improve the overall quality of on-the-job training received by students in blue- collar professions and office administration.
Improving the quality of training in these fields will be critical, as students who do not receive quality training are likely to become dissatis- fied with their apprentice- ship/traineeship.
As attitudinal issues are a major reason for poor qual- ity on-the-job training, shift- ing traditional employer mind sets will form an important part of this pro- cess.
Accordingly, the review should consider initiatives to address both attitudinal rea- sons for poor on-the-job training and related skill issues (ie. employers may not know how to train).
Develop and implement initiatives to improve the overall quality of on-the-job training received by apprentices and trainees.
Key initiatives should focus on improving training in blue-collar fields and office administration.
Consider:
• requiring employers to develop a “learning plan” with students as a key require- ment of having an apprentice/
trainee (or making this a requirement for State Government funding)
• developing employer- oriented performance indicators to allow monitor- ing of training on-the-job (eg. is there evidence of a learning plan?)
• developing a program of communications to shift traditional employer mind sets about on-the-job training in blue-collar fields - ie.
address key mind sets such as
“there’s no learning on the job”,
“You’re here to work, not learn”.
• requiring or encouraging employers undertake a one day “training course” before they take on an apprentice
• closely monitor the quality of on-the-job training during site visits to employers.
QUALITY OF
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Key findings Description Implications for review Strategy directions
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Conclusion Focus groups with apprentices and trainees have highlighted a number of significant issues with potential to affect the quality and effectiveness of training in the STS.
Focusing on key improvement initiatives will not only help to improve the quality of vocational training, but will help to ensure that apprentices/trainees develop marketable Finding 5.
There is room to improve key aspects of off-the-job training received by
apprentices/trainees.
While students place less importance on TAFE training than on-the-job training, off-the-job training is still seen to be an important part of vocational education (even in blue collar fields). Similarly, TAFE teachers are seen to be very helpful and supportive and are valued by students.
Despite the overall importance of off-the- job training, however, findings indicate that TAFE in many fields does not chal- lenge or empower students. Indeed, many students see their TAFE studies as overly simplistic and too easy - “They make us cut out pictures of people in magazines with dif- ferent hair styles. It makes you feel like you’re back in primary school” (Hairdresser) This is particularly so in the case of train- eeships, where students comment - “I can’t believe we’re getting a diploma for this”. Many trainees also question the value of their TAFE studies - “It’s a joke. It’s nothing compared to an apprenticeship”, and expect to receive similar levels of TAFE training as apprentices.
Students generally also emphasised that there was a need to:
• allow students to choose graded or non-graded paths of study in all fields
• provide opportunities to pursue spe- cialist qualifications during training
• encourage students to excel in TAFE
• send acknowledgement when stu- dents have passed each year of their training
• hold TAFE classes with students of the same year and not mixed years (some classes have a mix of trade years).
Challenging students in TAFE and building pride in the qualifications achieved should be a key objective of the STS.
Indeed, TAFE training has potential to impact signifi- cantly in all fields and make students increasingly attrac- tive to employers.
Current findings indicate, however, that many students are demotivated by TAFE and in the case of traineeships, some students question the value of their qualification.
Accordingly, the review should consider the impact of current student percep- tions of traineeships on the long term marketability of trainee qualifications in the marketplace.
Develop a program of initiatives to permit a higher degree of
“user choice” in TAFE curriculum and to encourage students to excel in TAFE.
Consider:
• the impact of current student perceptions of traineeships on the long term marketabil- ity of trainee qualifications in the marketplace
• allowing students to choose graded or non-graded paths of study in all fields
• reviewing curriculum in key areas to assess the value of core assessment tasks
• offering additional specialised qualifications for students to pursue during their training (eg. a specialist qualification in hair colouring for hairdressers or special cuisines for chefs) - these could be used as marketable qualifications to gain advantage in the workplace
• creating realistic expecta- tions of traineeships in terms of the amount and nature of TAFE training (eg. trainees expect that their TAFE will be the same as TAFE in apprenticeships).
QUALITY OF
APPRENTICESHIPS AND TRAINEESHIPS IN THE STS
Key findings Description Implications for review Strategy directions
I N T R O D U C T I O N
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Introduction
Purpose The purpose of this report is to summarise key themes from focus groups with apprentices and trainees of the Victorian State Training System (STS). Focus groups were undertaken as part of a broader review project to investigate the quality and effectiveness of apprenticeships and traineeships. In total, 4 focus groups were undertaken with 28 apprentices/trainees. An overview of focus group participants is presented in Appendix A - Focus group participants.
Project context A key function of the STS involves encouraging and monitoring the quality and effectiveness of apprenticeships/traineeships within Victoria. This role has emerged as a particularly important priority in recent years, driven by a decline in apprenticeship commencements both nationally and within Victoria (especially in traditional
apprenticeship fields). Concurrently, there has been an increase in traineeships and the range of associated providers. Traineeships are being offered through a federal initiative to address the decline in apprenticeships which has been driven by:
•• economic uncertainty within specific industries
•• employer reluctance to commit to 4 year apprenticeships
•• perceived inflexibilities of old apprenticeship systems
•• increased interest in the notion of “Traineeships”
(seen to be more flexible by employers)
•• a perception of limited opportunity for apprentices
•• trades being viewed as unattractive careers.
As the number of RTOs increase, there is an increasing need to ensure that providers continue to deliver high quality training outcomes to Victorians. Ensuring the quality of training is critical and has major implications for both the competitiveness of Victoria as a state, and for Australia, as a whole.