Plus c’est la même chose: joinery apprenticeship arrangements in Scotland

Abstract

This paper examines recent changes in the Scottish apprenticeship system of skill formation for joiners through an occupational skill ecosystem lens. Building trade apprenticeships in Scotland are based around a social partnership model more akin to ‘dual systems’ than typical arrangements elsewhere in the UK. Drawing on in-depth occupational case study primary data gathered in the ‘boom’ period, this paper argues that whilst joinery apprenticeships in Scotland are far from perfect they are relatively successful in serving the needs of industry and maintaining quality. Part of this success can be attributed to the regulatory role of the Scottish Building Apprenticeship and Training Council and effective alignment of historical apprenticeship arrangements to the Modern Apprenticeship framework. Yet determination to ‘cling’ on to historical arrangements has proven problematic precisely because plus c’est la même chose, plus ça change. The global economic downturn and subsequent ‘bust’ period within the construction industry, moreover, dealt an unwelcome blow to the system and many apprentices were ‘orphaned’ in crisis. Drawing on secondary data and other sources following the current ‘bust’, this paper posits that the recent exogenous shock to the system may well have been unwelcome and difficult but it has also provided a serendipitous and necessary catalyst for change.

Keywords:

• apprenticeships
• joiners
• construction industry
• Scotland
• skill ecosystems

Notes

1. Programme-led apprenticeships are a type of provision that enables learners to train for an apprenticeship without employee status (Skills Commission 2009, 9).

2. Skillseekers is a uniquely Scottish youth training programme for 16–24-year olds, first introduced in 1996 (Scottish Government 2008, 14).

3. The minimum levels of pay for craft workers in the construction industry in Scotland are covered primarily by the ‘Working Rule Agreement’ of the CIJC – other agreements include those from, for example, the Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council.

4. Carpentry is characteristically associated with fixing skills required on sites and joinery with bench work skills or the manufacturing of components.

5. The Engineering CITB is the other ITB.

6. The Scottish construction Modern Apprenticeship framework covers employers involved in building, specialist building and civil engineering (ConstructionSkills 2007, 5).

7. Organisations ‘out-of-scope’ to the CITB can also arrange for their apprentices to attend college. ‘Out-of-Scope’ organisations include, for instance, local authorities and other organisations outwith the construction industry but who still take on apprentices such as joiners.

8. A ‘skills shortage’ is where there are insufficient numbers of individuals to fill vacancies: a ‘skills gap’ is where individuals in employment lack the necessary skills – in this case apprentices still undergoing their four-year training and therefore not fully skilled yet.

9. ‘In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it is standard practice to equate an apprentice to a Level 2 qualification, however this is not the case in Scotland where a Level 3 qualification is considered the norm for construction’ (ConstructionSkills 2011, 26).

10. Modern Apprenticeship programme and national training programme statistics in Scotland were, until recently, publicly available via the Scottish Enterprise website; however, this link to the 2008/2009 data no longer active. SDS now manage and fund Modern Apprenticeships in Scotland but historical data is only available from 2009/2010.