Purpose -- This paper aims to present apprentices' perceptions of their opportunities for progressing to higher education. Data gained through semi-structured interviews with apprentices is placed in the context of the current policy agenda to widen participation in higher education and to increase the skills levels of those in employment. These…

This paper aims to report findings from a UK study funded by the Equal Opportunities Commission to explore gender segregation in apprenticeships in five strongly segregated sectors construction, plumbing, engineering, information technology all strongly male-dominated, and child care female-dominated. The aim of the research was to consider the…

Purpose -- Gender segregation has been a persistent feature of apprenticeship programmes in countries around the world. In the UK, the Modern Apprenticeship was launched ten years ago as the governments flagship initiative for training new entrants in a range of occupational sectors. One of its priorities was to increase male and female…

Purpose ? This paper proposes to investigate the modernisation of the German Dual System for apprenticeships. Design/methodology/approach ? The paper looks at the history of the development of the Dual System and looks at the challenges it faces today. Findings ? The paper finds that Germany, with its long-standing tradition of dual…

Purpose - The paper aims to review the National Open Apprenticeship Scheme and how it has fulfilled its mandate of promoting skill acquisition and youth employment in Nigeria, in the 17 years since the inception of the National Directorate of Employment NDE. Design/methodology/approach - Site visits to trainers' workshops were carried out to…

Purpose - This paper aims to compare the performance of building trades apprenticeship programs in the USA, sponsored jointly by employers and unions, with those sponsored unilaterally by employers. It reviews enrolment and graduation rates, including participation of women and minorities. The article also looks behind the numbers to examine the…

Purpose - Proposes to provide a description of the factors that underlie retention and to develop a model of the process of retention. Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative study was conducted in a selected number of occupational areas. Interviews were conducted with apprentices and trainees employed under a contract of training…

Purpose - This paper seeks to present the Apprenticeships Task Forces ATFs evaluation of the business case for recruiting and training apprentices. The focus is on whether they provide employers in the UK with a positive return on investment in key performance areas. Design/methodology/approach - The ATF asked nine members, senior executives of…

Purpose ? In response to the emergence of an enterprise economy, government claims that building an enterprise culture is vital. Correspondingly, provision of entrepreneurship education in higher education has expanded. The paper aims to assess the potential of entrepreneurship education to develop skills, and of whether students perceive them as…

Purpose - This study seeks to understand the college-to-work transition process from the perspectives of a group of new management consultants. Design/methodology/approach - This study focuses on the experience of a group of management consultants, how they construct meaning in their work, and the workplace itself. Participants in this study…

Purpose - The significance of young, well-educated workers in the Greek labour market has been largely neglected in studies addressing the issue of low participation rate in the labour force of the country. This study focuses on the reluctance of Greek students to enter the labour market and combine studies with paid work. This article reports on…

Purpose--To explore the nature component parts, degree structure and purpose intended outcomes of the Doctor of Business Administration DBA degree, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the degree as they stand presently, using Australian experience. Design/methodology/approach?-A review of DBA programme offerings in Australia identified…

Purpose - Aims to present the empirical results from a study of vocational research on the highly gifted pupils. Design/methodology/approach - Based on data from a Swiss longitudinal study on the effects of acquiring pre-school knowledge of reading and mathematics, intellectually above-average gifted pupils, who are now 16-year-olds, are filtered…

Purpose - The purpose of this article is to examine the increasing number of opportunities for pre-16 young people at schools in England to become involved in work related and work based programmes and to look at the key drivers of change and their impact. Design/methodology/approach - The approach is descriptive, covering current trends and also…

Purpose - The principal aim of this paper is to present the case for securing greater affinity between the formal curriculum and the hidden curriculum with respect to integration in business education. Design/methodology/approach - Consideration is given to the concept of the hidden curriculum, as manifested in the compartmentalised nature of…