Conference paper 2023

THE CHALLENGE OF COMPARING APPRENTICESHIP COMPLETION RATES: AN INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF TERMINOLOGY

Proceedings of the 39th Annual ARCOM Conference: Constructing for the Future, ARCOM 2023
Conference · pp. 498-507
Abstract

When considering construction apprenticeship ‘success’, two general categories can be distinguished, namely completion and non-completion. However international comparisons cannot be effectively established because of the differing terminology and definitions used by various researchers. Comparative investigations face challenges due to social and educational disparities, making direct evaluations misleading or ineffective. The aim of this paper is to communicate how different countries define ‘completion’ and ‘completion rates', to find common ground between the definitions and recommend consistent terms for use in further Irish research. Research papers from five countries were selected: - Ireland, United Kingdom. United States of America, Australia, and Germany to analyse and compare completion terminology. The literature confirms a lack of consensus on the terminology as well as differing methodology for calculating completion rate. There is limited research on apprenticeship completion in Ireland and as such the key contribution will be utilising this research to create a definition of apprenticeship completion and completion rates for Ireland to make comparisons internationally with the eventual hope of increasing apprenticeship success in this country. © ARCOM 2023.All rights reserved.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Apprenticeship Training Vocational Built environment terminology

Index Keywords

apprenticeship Apprentices United Kingdom International comparison Built environment Ireland Research papers terminology Vocational Common ground Direct evaluations United States of America
Author Affiliations
School of Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Munster, Ireland
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
References 10 References
1 Understanding the Non Completion of Apprentices, (2014)
2 Bessey, Donata, Staying within or leaving the apprenticeship system? Revisions of educational choices in apprenticeship training, Jahrbucher fur Nationalokonomie und Statistik, 235, 6, pp. 539-552, (2015)
3 Bilginsoy, Cihan, Unemployment, the Great Recession, and apprenticeship attrition in the U.S., Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 70, 2, pp. 171-192, (2018)
4 Cebulla, Andreas, Apprenticeships in homelessness: A quantitative study, Australian Journal of Social Issues, 50, 3, pp. 277-296, (2015)
5 Completion Rates for Students Taking Full Time Programmes of Study in Institutes of Technology, (2006)
6 Daniel, Emmanuel Itodo, Apprenticeship for craftspeople in the construction industry: a state-of-the-art review, Education and Training, 62, 2, pp. 159-183, (2020)
7 Review of Apprenticeship Training in Ireland, (2013)
8 Apprenticeship Achievements an Update for the Sector, (2023)
9 Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021 to 2025, (2021)
10 Gambin, Lynn, Factors affecting completion of apprenticeship training in England, Journal of Education and Work, 29, 4, pp. 470-493, (2016)
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Document Identifiers
  • EID 2-s2.0-85204786909
  • Language English