Key Findings

The key findings from the project included:

Overall

• The system of block course learning is effective. Most learners make new connections, apply learning, reflect, refine, and transform their practice.
• Strong learning links were apparent from courses to the apprentices’ work.
• The links and support from job to course were weaker, largely due to poor mentoring.
• Some apprentices struggle with the expectations of the trade, coursework and study.
• Most apprentices struggle with distance learning.

On the job

• Variety and a balance of autonomy and supervision produces the best outcomes.
• Opportunities to engage in tasks involving literacy and numeracy need to be provided and supported on the job where possible.
• Apprentices’ preparation for block courses will be enhanced by supervisors working through the trainer handbook with them.

Distance learning

• Apprentices who had had on-job mentoring tended to complete their workbooks more quickly than those who hadn’t.
• Support for distance learning seemed to be a relatively low priority in the workplace.
• Important skills needed to help apprentices complete distance learning workbooks and assessments are held by administrators.

On the courses

• The course environment was experienced by apprentices as positive and unthreatening and they were comfortable with well-established and varied routines.
• Apprentices need some skills (time management, literacy and numeracy competencies) to be explicitly taught.
• Trainers would like to see better connections between themselves and mentors and to have more connection to and understanding of the JITO pre-assessment tool.
• Trainers were interested in improving their own assessment and teaching strategies, with particular reference to literacy and numeracy.

Key Recommendations

The key recommendations from the project included:

Mentoring support | Mentoring support should acknowledge the constraints of employers and supervisors and provide acceptable learning support alternatives. Ongoing support in mentoring should be provided to new mentors over a period of a year, to help them recognise and work with learners who are struggling with expectations of the trade, coursework and study (particularly distance learning).

Opportunity to practice skills learned on the job | It is important that apprentices have the opportunity to practice skills learned on the course, when they are back on the job. The best circumstances for this practice are where the apprentice has a balance of supervision and autonomy in their work, and a variety of tasks, including tasks that involve literacy and numeracy.

Employer and supervisor training | Training workshopa are offered to employers and supervisors (or mentors) to familiarise them with the JITO training handbook and course programmes. This will assist them to better prepare apprentices on the job for block course learning. Also, employers and supervisors should use their knowledge of the JITO training handbook to frequently and incrementally increase apprentices’ independence with on the job tasks.

Distance learning support | JITO should assist employers and supervisors to identify candidates (e.g. administrators) who can commit to providing apprentices with specific mentoring support over a period of approximately one year.

Improving apprentice learning | The courses ran smoothly, although trainers identified that they could make changes to improve apprentice learning. These changes included strengthening the links from job to course and improving assessment and teaching strategies. On the job mentors could work with apprentices to create and provide to trainers a checklist of competencies practised on the job between courses. JITO should provide support to trainers to expand course content to include the explicit development of time management skills and literacy and numeracy competencies.

Ongoing professional development | Trainers need to engage in ongoing professional development in assessment and teaching strategies, with particular reference to literacy and numeracy.