Modern Apprenticeship, Process and Learning: some emerging issues

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Abstract
The Modern Apprenticeship programme in the United Kingdom has been broadly welcomed by employers, training providers, and commentators on the vocational education and training scene. A shift in policy focus has been detected from an emphasis on ‘outcomes’ (qualifications), which has come to dominate post‐16 provision, towards a rediscovery of ‘process’. One reason for this is that, at least at the level of policy, the Modern Apprenticeship can be linked to the challenges posed by a post‐Fordist analysis of the relationship between the economy, work and skills. The paper identifies some of the features of Modern Apprenticeship and discusses three learning‐related issues which emerged during development work for one sector's Modern Apprenticeship. It is argued that effective management and delivery of the learning process can be achieved through closer partnerships between employers and training providers. Relying on the measurement of outcomes alone, is likely to prove an inadequate approach to ensuring the quality of learning experiences on‐ and off‐the‐job