belonging, becoming and being: first year apprentices’ experiences in the workplace ako aotearoa...
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Belonging, Becoming and Being: First Year Apprentices’ Experiences in the Workplace
Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Research in Progress Colloquium
Selena Chan May 2011
Overall Purpose of the Project
1) Identify factors influencing apprentices' - initial decisions to enter into and - commit to an indenture, - and factors which contribute to continuation of the
apprenticeship.
2) Compare experiences of potential, continuing, and unsuccessful apprentices.
3) Design guidelines for the improvement of induction processes and initial training for apprentices.
Research participants First Year Apprentices - focus groups, individual interviews, survey questionnaire
Employers - survey questionnaire
Pre-trade students - focus groups
Apprentices who have discontinued - individual interviews
Literature Foundation Socio-cultural approach - socially and culturally mediated practices in workplace learning (Billett,
2004; Wenger, 1998)
Vocational imagination (Higgins, 2010)
Vocational identity formation (Kirpal,
Belonging to a workplace (Chan, 2008)
Learning as becoming (Hodkinson, Biesta & James, 2008)
Workplace learning pedagogy (Billett & various others)
Research Approach Constructive – interpretative paradigm
Mixed case study
Case study theory building - within-case analysis and the congruence method (George & Bennett,
2005).
Narratives constructed - not as narrative inquiries (Riessman, 2008), but more as analytical lenses
(Chase, 2005) and closer to the ‘storytelling’ aspect of case study (Stake, 2005).
Outputs so far
All data collection completed
Individual reports to each ITO and a background report produced
Data analysis re-consolidation underway
Final report and guidelines in progress
Themes towards constructing guidelines
Matching ‘vocational imagination’ to reality
Establishing a sense of belonging
Maintaining engagement and momentum towards apprenticeship completion
Matching ‘vocational imagination’ Firm goal of becoming a trades person
Strong sense of affinity with chosen industry
Clear views of future options
Reality not always portrayed – industry and apprenticeship
Need for clearer, succinct and accessible information
Belonging to a workplace
- A sense of belonging
- need for clear articulation of responsibilities
- timely response to queries
- workplace support crucial
Maintaining momentum
- Setting goals and objectives
- providing incentives
- building vocational identity
- exploring alternatives
Where to from here
Completion of final report
Design brochure
Disseminate findings to a wider audience.
Thank You
Contact:-Selena ChanChristchurch Polytechnic Institute of [email protected]
blogging at:- http://mportfolios.blogspot.com
Project team Dr. Robyn Chandler, Christchurch Polytechnic, [email protected] Nicholas Huntington, Industry Training Federation, [email protected] Tracey Shepherd, Agriculture ITO, [email protected] Charles Hayward, Boating ITO, [email protected] Loretta Garrow, Building and Construction ITO, [email protected] Paul Town , Competenz, [email protected] Erica Cummings, Hairdressing ITO, [email protected] Glen Keith, Hospitality Standards Institute, [email protected] Deb Paul, Joinery ITO, [email protected]