Abstract

This thesis has two aims and uses a case study of two large service companies in the south of the United Kingdom using a mixed method quantitative and qualitative approach. The first aim is to identify why employers use an Advanced Apprenticeship (AA) scheme. The existing literature suggested a number of factors for employers’ participation. These were, AA is cheaper than taking on qualified staff (QS), AA is driven by demand, AA contributes to business expansion, AA’s increased skills and AA’s contribute a lower staff turnover. The results from the case study were broadly consistent with the literature. The three factors found to be most important to both employers were, ‘productivity’ becoming positive in the second year and ‘employer net benefits’ becoming positive in the third/fourth year and candidate selection.

Financially neither employer had calculated the cumulative employer net benefits which may take more than 7 years to recover and achieve a positive Net Profit Value (NPV). To this end the literature lacks visibility on financial information for the employer. The research results agreed with the literature showing that an AA was cost effective in year 3 or 4. However due to the cost in years 1 and 2, the return on investment took approximately 7 years to recover with 2015 levels of government subsidy and longer if an organisation did not quality for government subsidy. The importance of apprentice retention was therefore critical from an organisation view point and selecting the right candidate for AA was pivotal (aim 1).

The second aim is to identify why youngsters join and complete an AA. The existing literature suggested a number of factors for candidate participation. These consisted of, hands on the job while learning new skills, employee investment while gaining qualifications and career opportunity with higher pay. This research confirmed the importance of many of the factors highlighted by the literature including why candidates joined AA’s. A forced choice survey determined in most cases whether apprentices were getting their career choice/environment fit right. The results revealed six of the apprentices in Company 1 were a good fit and two of the apprentices were suited to a career in sales or business management suggesting they had selected the wrong career choice/environment fit. The results for Company 2 revealed that all eight of the apprentices had selected the right career choice/environment. The findings of this research are new to the literature (aim 2).

This research is based upon two case studies only so further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Additional Notes

Supervisors: Nick Capon and Doctor Michael Wood

Course: Master of Philosophy - MPhil

Date Deposited: 2017-05-12

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis12888.html