Gambin & Hogarth (2016) and Mangan &Trendle (2017) all identified that higher levels of prior educational attainment were influential and beneficial in the successful completion of apprenticeships.
Female apprentices in the study by Gambin and Hogarth had a higher chance of completion in female-dominated professions, which should bode well for health, although this data was largely based on further education (and therefore lower-level apprenticeships). However, both studies identified that apprentices with a declared disability or from a minority ethnic background had poorer apprenticeship completion rates. This was echoed in Seidel’s (2019) study, but also identifies apprentices with migrant backgrounds as being at increased risk of non-completion.
The selection of appropriate candidates to enter any of the health professions needs to be values-based and requires evidence of prior academic achievement, but the aspiration that apprenticeship routes will widen recruitment to the workforce perhaps needs to be considered.
With evidence suggesting that some groups of apprentices may struggle, the support available on programme will be critical to achieving this develop knowledge and skills at an appropriate pace so that apprentices remain engaged and challenged in the workplace and can clearly see their progression.
Chan, (2016) and Dagsland et al (2015) both reported this adds to the learner’s motivation and improves perceptions of their learning experience. This was also noted by Dismore, (2014), Filliettaz, (2011) and Bishop (2017) who reported that the learning environment, process and support were all key to the transformation reported by apprentices. Filliettaz, (2011) also noted that support of apprentices is a collective responsibility within an organisation and it should not be presumed that the onus rests with one individual trainer or supervisor. Some apprentices in the study by Fuller & Unwin, (2003b) quickly found themselves becoming productive members of the workforce and their learner identity was lost.
Fuller & Unwin, (2003b) argued that organisations demonstrating these qualities would allow apprentices to foster deeper and more meaningful learning and apprentices employed by expansive organisations in their case studies achieved enhanced outcomes compared with those whose learning was more poorly planned and implemented. Bishop’s (2017) study refuted this to some extent and argued that even organisations at the more restrictive end of the continuum offer expansive learning opportunities, but that apprentice success is founded on the apprentice’s own motivation to learn.