Identifying the features of high quality traineeships

• Project summary
• Project approach
• Project purpose
• Research questions
• Methodology
• The organisation/s

Project summary

Project approach

Qualitative - case studies and interviews

Project purpose

The aim of this project is to identify the features of high quality traineeships, and to examine how these 'quality conditions' can be replicated across companies and industry sectors. The project will do this through consultation with a wide range of stakeholders and detailed case studies of six industry areas.

Research questions

The research questions are:

* What can be described (by various stakeholders) as a high quality traineeship?

* What organisational and pedagogical features contribute to high quality traineeship?

* What are the effects of variables such as employment practices, industry area, Training Package content and structure, industry traditions, social construction of the industry area ?

* In what circumstances are quality features displayed?

* How far are the features replicable in other traineeships and how can this be done?

Methodology

For the case studies, we suggest a traineeship qualification in each of the following industry areas: financial services, children's services, asset maintenance (cleaning), construction, retail and meat processing (abattoirs).

The groups chosen as respondents are the major players: industry, training providers, trainees, employers, peak bodies representing employers and unions, and skills councils. There will be a total of around 130-150 participants.

A reference group and expert advisory group will oversee the project.

Interviews with stakeholders in the case study traineeships These will comprise CEOs or Industry Project Officers (as delegated by CEOs) of the relevant national skills councils (5), industry associations (up to 6), trade unions (up to 6). We will also carry out some interviews that are not tied to specific traineeships: DEST, GTA, and senior managers in selected STAs, AACs and GTOs (up to 8).

Interviews with relevant curriculum managers (titles will vary) in TAFE and equivalent in private RTOs in the six case study areas (2 for each industry area). These will be spread across Australia.

Company exemplars with two employers in each industry area (12 in total). The companies researched will be those identified by stakeholders and /or curriculum managers as offering high quality traineeships. Company level research will involve site visits comprising:

* Interview with HR Manager or senior line manager with HR responsibility

* Interview with training manager or equivalent

* Interview with at least one supervisor with responsibility for trainees

* Interview with trainees (at least two, and up to ten in focus groups in larger companies)

* Interviews with course co-ordinator and teacher from the relevant RTO(s)

Data analysis: The twelve company exemplars will be written up individually; then the six traineeship case studies (which will each include two company exemplars) will be written up and circulated among the researchers. The data will then be coded and analysed using data reduction and display techniques (Miles and Huberman, 1994) to identify the major themes. To draw the diverse data together for theoretical models and policy lessons, we will use Ritchie & Spencer's 'framework' analysis approach (2002) which they devised specifically for qualitative data analysis for policy research. The process of reporting to our reference group will assist in constant comparative analysis (Glaser & Strauss, 1967).

Validation: The draft final report will be sent to the project reference group at the same time as it is sent to the NCVER reviewers. It will also be sent to the leading apprenticeship researchers in the UK and Germany (Dr Alison Fuller and Prof Lorna Unwin in the UK, and Dr Philipp Grollman and Prof Thomas Deissinger in Germany), for their comments at the same time. The latter process will ensure that we have not missed any lessons learned in other countries. This is an innovative addition to the project method that could be replicated in future projects where issues in overseas countries parallel those in Australia.

The organisation/s

The University of Ballarat (http://www.ballarat.edu.au/ard/ubresearch/) is an institution that combines teaching and research and especially one where teaching is informed by research. The university has moved, in a comparatively short period of time, to being research active. The University's staff is well-grounded in research theory, training and practice. In the sphere of research and especially research at this regional university, the broad aims are to:

* Enable a greater understanding of ourselves and of all that surrounds us

* Foster the economic health of the region and the nation

* Foster the social, physical and mental health of society

* Contribute to economic, social and environmental sustainability of the region