Erityisen tuen toimintaprosessit oppisopimuskoulutuksessa

Authors

• Jorma Käyhkö Keuda työelämäpalvelut
• Helinä Melkas Lappeenrannan–Lahden teknillinen yliopisto LUT

Keywords:

Apprenticeship training, identifying special support needs, organisation of special education, drop-out, completion

Abstract

The main goal of apprenticeship training is to develop work-based competences and improve the competitiveness of private companies. The study focuses specifically on the methods and measures employed by apprenticeship training providers in workplaces and training institutions to implement special education and special teaching and guidance arrangements. A further goal of this study is to investigate whether these operational processes involve factors, which affect the variation in apprenticeship training quality and result in lower completion rates. The data were gathered employing three different methods (questionnaire, interview and participant observation) in two stages during years 2013–2015. The research participants were 151 persons from 54 Finnish apprenticeship organisations, who were familiar with the practices of identifying special needs and implementing support measures. The data suggest the majority of apprenticeship training providers lack the skills, structures and resources to identify apprentices with special educational needs and to organise the teaching and the support they require. The study found that apprenticeship training providers are aware of the shortcomings regarding operational processes around support and guidance arrangements. The majority of apprenticeship training providers are engaging in different development projects or measures to address the issue, which have had a positive effect. Regardless, apprenticeship training providers feel they are currently not able to offer all apprentices training that suits their needs and conditions.