THE EFFECT OF
APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING ON THE PERFORMANCE OF ARTISANS. CASE STUDY OF TAILORS
IN MAKURDI METROPOLIS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
The contribution of apprenticeship to
jobs and skills has long been appreciated by countries eager to promote growth
and ease the transition from full-time education to work for young people. Both
France and England have around 5 per cent of 16-24 year olds in apprenticeship
and have made strenuous efforts to expand numbers (Cilpepper & Thelen,
2008). Currently, however, places offered by employers are not sufficient to
meet the huge demand from young people or to have much impact on youth
unemployment in these countries – the unemployment rate is currently around 20
per cent for 15-24 year olds in both countries and higher still in European
countries without apprenticeship provision (Steedman, 2011)
While a positive relationship between
apprenticeship and low youth unemployment can be observed over time, it would
be misguided to see apprenticeship primarily as a ‘cure’ for high youth
unemployment. Apprenticeship is first and foremost about skill development to
the benefit of companies, their employees and the wider economy. Apprenticeship
can accommodate a wide range of abilities and aptitudes because it accurately
reflects the equally wide range of skills required in a modern economy (Bosch
& Charest, 2008). However, it is not a sufficient solution to improving the
labour market transition of young people with poor school achievements or other
disadvantages.
The expression apprenticeship means any
system by which an employer undertakes by contract to employ a young person and
to train him [or her] or have him [or her] trained systematically for a trade
for a period the duration of which has been fixed in advance and in the course
of which the apprentice is bound to work in the employer’s service (Steedman
& Ryan, 1998). This process of training has led to the development of the
bulk of the artisan. Systematic long-term training for a recognized occupation
taking place substantially within an undertaking or under an independent
craftsman should be governed by a written contract of apprenticeship and be
subject to established standards.
Apprenticeship training is taken to
denote training programmes that combine vocational education with work-based
learning for an intermediate occupational skill (i.e., more than routinised job
training), and that are subject to externally imposed training standards,
particularly for their workplace component (Steedman, 2011).
Apprenticeship in the informal economy
is a widespread phenomenon, including in G20 countries. In order to pass on
skills from one generation to the next, poor societies have developed informal
apprenticeship systems that are purely workplace-based. A young apprentice
learns by way of observation and imitation from an experienced master
craftsperson, acquires the skills of the trade and is inducted into the culture
and networks of the business (Streeck, 1987). Apprenticeship agreements are
mostly oral, yet they are embedded in the society’s customs, norms and
traditions. Countries in mediaeval Europe developed strong apprenticeship
systems regulated by crafts associations, the guilds (Streeck, 1987). Today,
informal apprenticeship is an extensive training system in countries with large
informal economies all over the world including Nigeria. Variations in terms of
practices are wide, yet the basic feature remains the same: the training
agreement between a young learner and an experienced craftsperson to transmit
the skills of a trade. Most of the learners becomes the normal artisan upon
completion of training. There have been a lot of doubts in the performance of
several artisans in Nigeria. Despite the system’s strength of providing skills
relevant to Artisans, informal apprenticeship has a number of weaknesses. Long
working hours, unsafe working conditions, low or no allowances or wages, little
or no social protection in case of illness or accident, and strong gender
imbalances are among the decent work deficits often found in an apprenticeship
which is believed to have significant effect on the performance of the artisans.
On the one hand, upgrading informal
apprenticeship is considered important to address these weaknesses. On the
other hand, compared to investing in expanding formal technical education and
training, it is a cost-effective way to invest in a country’s skills base and
enhance employability of youth, since training is integrated into the
production process.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Performance
of artisans upon completion of apprenticeship
training is the most fundamental requirement of a successful apprenticeship training
system.
Thus apprenticeship training provides
firms with young employees (artisans) who have mastered the skill set necessary
for a given role within the firm. In addition, the apprentice has acquired
knowledge and transferable skills. He/she has absorbed the culture of the firm
and an appreciation of its organization and operation by the virtue of the
training received. However, the researcher is examining the effect of
apprenticeship training on the performance of artisans.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The
following are the objectives of this study:
1. To
examine the effect of apprenticeship training
on the performance of artisans.
2. To
examine the process and organization of apprenticeship training.
3. To
identify the factors limiting the performance of artisans.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What
is the effect of apprenticeship training
on the performance of artisans?
2. What
is the process and organization of apprenticeship training?
3. What
are the factors limiting the performance of artisans?
1.5 HYPOTHESIS
HO:
There is no significant relationship between apprenticeship training and the
performance of artisans
HA:
There is significant relationship between apprenticeship training and the
performance of artisans
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
following are the significance of this study:
1. The
outcome of this study will be a useful guide for the government of Nigeria,
policy makers and the general public on the benefit of apprenticeship training
and its impact on the performance of artisans.
2. This research will also serve as a resource
base to other scholars and researchers interested in carrying out further
research in this field subsequently, if applied will go to an extent to provide
new explanation to the topic
1.7 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This
study on the effect of apprenticeship training
on the performance of artisans will cover how the apprenticeship programme is
organized and managed and its effect on the performance of artisans.
LIMITATION OF STUDY
Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the
efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature
or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire
and interview).
Time constraint– The researcher will
simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently
will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.
REFERENCES
Bosch
G. and J. Charest, 2008. ‘Vocational training and the labour market in liberal
and coordinated economies’ Industrial Relations Journal 39:5 428-447.
Culpepper
P. D. and K. Thelen, 2008. ‘Institutions and the Collective Actors in the
Provision of Training:Historical and Cross-National Comparisons’ in Mayer K. U.
and H. Solga (eds) Skill Formation: Interdisciplinary and Cross-National
Perspectives CUP, Cambridge.
Steedman
H., 2011. ‘Challenges and Change: Apprenticeships in German-speaking Europe’ in
Dolphin T. and T. Lanning (eds) Rethinking Apprenticeships Institute for
Public Policy Research (IPPR) London.
Steedman
H., H. Gospel and P. Ryan, 1998. Apprenticeship: A Strategy for Growth Centre
for Economic Performance, London School of Economics and Political Science.
Streeck
W. et al, 1987. The role of the social partners in vocational training and
further training in the Federal Republic of Germany CEDEFOP, Berlin.