Amidst concerns over skills shortages, both the current British government and its coalition predecessors have, against the grain of wider austerity measures, invested heavily in the apprenticeship system. The majority of apprentices are, and have historically been, employed within small businesses. However, research suggests that, in the main,…

In Germany, the group of young people with the most extended transition from school to work are those achieving higher education entrance qualifications ("Abitur"), then serving an apprenticeship in the German "dual system" and later pursuing higher education. On the basis of three Anglo-German comparative studies, this article…

Two approaches to work organization in the auto industry were compared: (1) the German model of apprenticeship and skilled production workers; and (2) the Japanese model of continuous on-the-job training and flexibility. The Japanese model may be better for British companies given the current labor market situation. (SK)

The study focuses on the issue of entry into building trades unions, detailing union procedures and standards, journeyman's background, and comparing training routes. Various basic construction trades were investigated: bricklayers, carpenters, electrical workers, ironworkers, plumbers and steamfitters, and sheet metal workers. Data were collected…

A study examined whether there were any differences in the performance of apprentices trained in off-the-job, on-the-job, or in-plant training programs. A 1984 apprentice intake sample of over 500 apprentices and information supplied by 16 in-plant training centers and 9 colleges were used to collect data on the job performance of apprentices in…

A party of vocational educators from the United Kingdom (UK) traveled to the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) to observe the role of industrial tutors in providing technical training to German workers. During their study, the investigators focused their attention on the role of the meister in the vocational education and training system in…

On-the-job training (OJT) is the most frequently used training method in industry. This OJT is mostly unstructured. While off-job-site training (OJST) should prepare for or supplement OJT, coordination between OJT and OJST is often poor. Advantages of OJT include its low cost, realistic nature, and motivating force. However, it is usually…

A party of vocational educators from the United Kingdom (UK) traveled to the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) to observe current experiments with the first year of apprenticeship training or, as it is called in Germany, the Berufsgrundbildungsjahr (BGJ). During its study, the visiting party focused its attention on the objectives, design,…

The literature on business involvement in education in Canada, the United States, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, the United Kingdom, and other European countries was reviewed. Special attention was paid to the following topics: workplace trends/changes; skill requirements/deficits; youth employment/unemployment; integration versus…

According to data regarding apprentices and trainees in Australia in 1985-1999, the number of apprentices and trainees in Australia reached a record level of 256,000 in June 1999 (versus 172,800 in 1990). Apprentices and trainees undertaking training at Australian Qualifications Framework level III or higher for more than 2 years accounted for…

Germany's Dual System, which consists of in-school and in-enterprise components, facilitates entry into 374 recognized technical, white-collar and blue-collar occupations listed in training regulations that are grounded in legislation. The Dual System's origins and development in Germany were examined along with several attempts to replicate the…