Vocational Commitment Dynamics: Insights from Dual VET System

1. Ursel Hauschildt / Lars Heinemann / Dorothea Piening Occupational Identity and Motivation of Apprentices in a System of Integrated Dual VET

2. … Occupational/Vocational Commitment Organisational Commitment Occupational/Voactional Identiy Work Ethics … … … Occupational Identity and the interrelated fields of commitment

3. Classification of various occupations according to organisational and occupational orientation

4. Typologie Type 1: Autonomous, responsible professionals Type 2: The type of the consistently high commitet‏ Type 3: The type of 'unremarkables' Type 4: The pragmatic worker (low degree of vocational identity but good willingniss to work and following instructions)‏

5. Typologie Type 1: Autonomous, responsible professionals e.g. Cooks, professional logistic driver, automotibile mechatronics • Vocational high commitment by identification with the profession • High vocational identity • High performance and quality orientation • Attachment to the operation and acting according to instructions plays minor role

6. Typologie Type 2: The type of the consistently high committed e.g. Automotive businessman / woman, industrial mechanics • High vocational identity • High ethics • At the same time: willingness to act in accordance with detailed instructions • Be integrated into the operational chain of command and responsibility structures

7. Particular IE-Profils Occupational Occupational Identity Commitment Organisational Work ethics Commitment Automobile sales management assistant electronic techician (offshore)‏

8. Typologie Type 3: The 'unremarkables' e.g. Retail merchant, office assistant, logistics and forwardingmerchant, warehouse specialist, engineering mechanics and professional drivers • Identity and commitment to lower levels • Need to introduce supporting identity learning in work process

9. Typologie Type 4: Orientation on the organisational structure and hierarchies I.e. Administrative clerks, lawyers and notary clerks, etc. • weak vocational identity and underdeveloped ethics • Engagement by its integration into the organisational structures of their companies • Willingness to perform on the basis of secondary motivation • In general rather low level of occupational identity and weak binding to the work. • Low vocational identiy potential and a correspondingly low ethics at best, average operating commitment. administration secretary • Low occupational identity • Identity based on the membership of the Public Administration • Willingness to carry out detailed instructions because of a function-oriented organisational structure • Lack of business process orientation.

10. Apprentices’ commitment based on /orientated at operational organisation Occupational Occupational Identity Commitment Organisational Work ethics Commitment Tax clerk assistant warehaouse clerkclerk in public admistritationjudical clerk

11. The Context of Vocational Commitment ….drawing some major conclusions: 1 There is no corelation (!) between the development of vocational commitment and vocational identity and the apprentices social or migration backgound.

12. …..a positive impact on vocational commitment“ VC high middle „I always wanted to learn this vocation“ low

13. ….drawing a conclusion: 2 Traineeship in a favorite profession has a positive impact on the development of vocational commitment. It also leads to a higher degree of occupational commitment and the formation of vocational identity. Recommendation: Frequent vocational orientation programmes starting from Kindergarden until the end of Secondary School and early career guidance

14. …..how to raise vocational commitment“ VC high average „The working atmosphere in our company is rather tense.“ low

15. ….drawing a conclusion: 3 A good working atmosphere has a positive impact on occupational and vocational commitment.

16. …..how to raise vocational commitment“ high „ When I am working on a factory order on my own, I get competent advice from my trainer“ average low

17. ….drawing a conclusion: 4 Supporting and assisting apprentices at the workplace and treating them as new team colleagues is enhancing a development of vocational and occupational commitment, and also of vocational identity.

18. …..how to raise vocational commitment“ VC high „Within the frame of my vocational training I am allowed to do/ andI learn very diversetasksand also toapplyvarious skills“ average low

19. ….drawing a conclusion: 5 A high diversity of tasks, i.e. skills to be obtained by apprentices and the embedment in the work process is a significant requirement for an attractive and sucessful VET.

20. …..how to raise vocational commitment“ VC high „I can apply and demonstrate, what I have learned in a certain work context“ average low

21. ….drawing a conclusion: 6 It is better to slighly overcharge apprentices in their in-company training. Without a certain challenge, apprentices will not develop a high degree of occupational commitment and are thus less successful in TVET.

22. Recommendations 1. Lowering/draw down of the average age of apprentices 2. Frequent vocational orientation programmes starting from Kindergarden until the end of Secondary School 3. Improvement of TVET quality by enhancing the niveau of tasks apprentices have to fulfil at their workplace 4. Stimulating the apprentices‘ work process knowledgs and occupational committment 5. Ameliorating vocational identity of apprentices within the process of VET 6. Establishing a profound basis for coopereation between the vocational schools and training companies