Cano-Lopez, P; Copping, A and Bullock, K (2008) Introducing an innovative approach to supporting work-based learning for specialist trade operatives. In: Dainty, A (ed.) Proceedings of 24th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Cardiff, UK.
Abstract
This paper reports on the outcomes of a three year action research project which involved developing a new approach to delivering work-based national vocational qualifications (NVQ) (level 2 and 3) to specialist trade operatives. It reviews approaches to qualifying the workforce and argues that NVQs give greater efficiency in terms of time and cost than traditional college-based training. At the end of the project a culture shift in employer and employee towards formal qualifications was observed within the sample group. In addition, the awarding Further Education College had moved from a position of solely centralised construction training to one which allowed flexibility in its delivery style. Prior to this project an achievement rate of 25% was recorded. At the end of the three year project completion rates raised to above the Learning Skills Council’s national benchmark requirement of 75%.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | action research; learning styles; national vocational qualification; specialist trade operatives; work-based learning |
| Index terms: | learning style, efficiency, qualification, action research, operative, work-based learning |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, practitioner, learning methods, performance management, educational resources |
| Topics: | Education, Quality Management, Roles and Professions, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here