Sigue: The need for quality apprenticeship

THE Philippines unceasingly attempts to enhance technical vocational education and training (TVET) but still, the concept of on-the-job training constantly falls short of the expectations of industry because of so many constraints. Apparently, our government lack a laser-focused seriousness and prioritization to put in sufficient public funds in ensuring a job-ready workforce.

Trainings in the Philippines have been plagued by traditional politics, making it a way to earn sympathy votes instead of really addressing problems in quality talent supply. Another major obstacle are labor laws and principles in the advent of disruptive technologies that redefine the nature of work and workplace. Some of these labor principles impede creative ways to expose young people to actual work and the opportunity to acquire industry-calibrated skills.

Sadly, we seem to be fond of generating excuses instead of solutions. Instead of understanding and assessing global rankings for competitiveness, we tend to justify our failures by blaming one another, questioning the metrics used for the ranking or otherwise tooting our horns in other aspects irrelevant to the area under evaluation. We tend to refuse to see the bigger picture and seek for long-term solutions -- how our strategies today will eventually pan out in the future.

There are several solutions that are worth exploring if we are to join the race in becoming one of the dynamic economies in Asia. For this week, I will discuss quality apprenticeship system and cite the International Labor Organization (ILO) Toolkit for Quality Apprenticeships Volume I: Guide for Policy Makers issued in October 2017. The toolkit cites the importance of quality apprenticeship in matching skills in demand in the labor market with skills acquired in education and training systems.

ILO defined apprenticeship as a "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" (1962).

Quality apprenticeship is a unique form of technical vocational education and training, combining on-the-job training and off-the-job learning, which enable learners from all walks of life to acquire the knowledge, skills and competencies required to carry out a specific occupation. They are regulated and financed by laws and collective agreements and policy decisions arising from social dialogue and require a written contract that details the respective roles and responsibilities of the apprentice and the employer. They also provide the apprentice with remuneration and standard social protection coverage. Following a clearly defined and structured period of training and the successful completion of a formal assessment, apprentices obtain a recognized qualification. There is no single, standardized definition of apprenticeship training used across countries, but varied approaches that have been developed over the years to correspond to national needs.

Brazil highlights the link between theory and practice and progression through a structured program, as well as the importance of an apprenticeship contract. Germany puts the emphasis on systematic training linked to a specific occupation. In South Africa, the emphasis is on the combination of on-the-job and off-the-job training, assessment and the requirements to practice in a particular occupation. In the United States, promotes the balance between on-the-job and off-the-job training.

As shown in other countries, apprenticeship span from one year to four years and is guaranteed by both laws and contracts with remuneration. In the Philippines, just a suggestion of extending the probationary period event to a week to ensure the skills of the worker will surely create so much controversy from labor groups. This mindset has resulted to young people without jobs or menial jobs that they need to go through for years to acquire experience before obtaining the skills specified by serious or decent jobs. These years of unemployment or underemployment could have been productively used for meaningful quality apprenticeship where the worker is remunerated at the same time trained, and eventually will earn valuable work certifications. We need to be less nearsighted so we can understand how this strategy can really solve the mismatch. It will take a visionary lawmaker to understand and legislate quality apprenticeship in the Philippines.