Apprenticeships in Bricklaying in Germany and England: A case study

1. Apprenticeships in Bricklaying in Germany and England: A case study Michaela Brockmann, University of Westminster Linda Clarke, University of Westminster Christopher Winch, King’s College London TUC, November 2010

2. The Research: Nuffield study: Cross-national equivalence of vocational qualifications and skills Cross-national: England, Germany, Netherlands, France Case-study approach: bricklaying, lorry-driving, software engineering, nursing Leonardo-da-Vinci: Bricklaying qualifications, work and VET in Europe Examines bricklaying qualifications in 8 European countries Developing a framework for the comparative assessment Assessing possibilities and problems concerning the implementation of EQF/ECVET

3. Occupational: statutory framework social partnership recognised qualifications comprehensive nationally recognised VET programmes multi-dimensional competence ‘occupational capacity’ occupational knowledge general and civic education Skill-based: weak statutory framework marginalisation of stakeholder interests narrow skills sets, remedial functional skills functionalist-behavourist conception of competence minimal underpinning knowledge neglect of general and civic education Occupational vs Skill-based VET systems

4. SKILLS/TRADES OCCUPATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS roofer plumber architect construction manager quantity surveyor bricklayer site manager joiner UNTRAINED carpenter

5. Place, scope of bricklaying in England 1.9m employed in construction; c.100,000 bricklayers (11% of skilled construction tradespersons) Trade – not occupation, tools of trade, employed by LOSC, often self-employed, lack of stability, loss of status, usually paid according to price i.e. secondary not occupational labour market Fragmented nature of social partners: dominance of trade associations,VET employer-led, little trade union (UCATT) involvement Often narrow activities, especially housebuilding, but changing →increasing need for versatility (e.g. stone, concrete); glue instead of mortar + machines High degree informal learning + acquiring NVQ through OSAT → Need for more comprehensive VET as not reflecting changing labour process; what is bricklayer?

6. Nature of Bricklaying VET in England • Traditional trade-based VET: 21% first year construction trainees = bricklayers • Predominantly NVQ2: 11% construction trainees = Level 3, 60% Level 2, 17% Level, little permeability or progression • Apprenticeships: 4,831 bricklaying in England, c45% construction trainees but declining, 83% Level 2, c. 2 years, trade specific; college day release; 5x more apprentice applicants than places; fixed CITB apprentice grant partly through levy • Exclusion of trade unions and FE sector though FE colleges key providers (Diplomas + work experience); divide between FE and industry • Training variable standard & narrow, high drop out rate • Conforming to particular labour market segment →too narrow, unrelated to other occupations, not geared to development of individual or changing labour process

7. Definitions: English bricklaying trade • Weak VET, intellectual function separated from manual, → weak occupational status • Skills = physical and mental dexterity to perform employer-defined tasks in work process, acquired through traditional apprenticeship, learning mainly on job with little theoretical underpinning • Competences confined to narrow trade skills required to produce given output • Regulation and Currency: CSCS registrationbut difference between collectively agreed, qualification and pay levels • Scope defined by employer/trade associations, little involvement of TUs & educationalists,

8. The English bricklaying qualification NVQ Level 2 Mandatory: Conform to general workplace safety Conform to efficient work practices Move and handle resources Erect masonry structures Set out masonry structure Optional: Erect masonry cladding Lay domestic drainage Erect thin joint masonry structure Place and finish non-specialist concrete Plaster and render surfaces Maintain slate and tile roofing Repair and maintain masonry structures

9. The English bricklaying qualification (2) NVQ Level 2 ‘Erect masonry structures’ Scope of performance: • Interpreting information such as drawings • Complying with relevant legislation • Selecting resources for the work • Complying with organisational procedures, including maintaining a clean work environment and waste disposal • Carrying out the work: measuring, marking out; laying; position and securing; using tools and equipment; erecting masonry in brick and block) • Knowledge and Understanding: (factual and procedural) • Relevant legislation and procedures • Knowledge of materials, components and equipment • Knowledge of methods, calculating quantities, lengths, etc. • Application of knowledge to methods of work (e.g. erecting walling, laying blocks, mixing mortar)

10. English bricklaying VET/apprenticeship • NVQs: • Utilitarian, task-specific, based on the performance of tasks/skills • Accumulation of skills rather than holistic competence development • The role of knowledge • Minimal, underpinning specific tasks, captured by the notion of skills • ‘anti-learning culture’ of disaffected young people • ‘you gain knowledge to be able to do the role that you are employed to do’ (CECA representative) • The move to NVQs has involved ironing out the ‘nice to know but not necessary to know’ (ConstructionSkills representative) • ‘why disaffect them and give them an additional hour in the classroom’ (college representative commenting on introduction of IT)

11. Nature of Bricklaying VET in Germany • Social partnership model of regulation, including assessment • 3-year dual system apprenticeship level 3+; high success rate (77%; 92% inc. second attempt) • comprehensive training; college + workshop + workplace; no modular structure; ‘step-wise’ (Stufenausbildung) • qualification in one of 3 sub-sectors after 2 years (Hochbau, Tiefbau, Ausbau) • occupational qualification after 3 years • comprehensive mapping of occupations onto sector → occupational qualifications (Beruf Construction: 14 Berufe) → occupational labour market i.e. importance of qualification for labour market entry (82% of bricklayers have qualification) • graded wage structure (6 levels) linked to qualification levels and hence collective bargaining system

12. German bricklaying apprenticeship • ‘Occupational capacity’: as Beruf strong social identity • VET as the continuation of education (compulsory education leaving age of 18) • Handlungskompetenz ‘the ability and readiness of the individual to act adequately and in a socially- and individually-responsible way in occupational as well as in social and private situations’ • Comprises occupational, personal and social dimensions • Autonomy: planning, carrying out, evaluation

13. German bricklaying apprenticeship • Content: • industrial knowledge (labour law, materials, health & safety, environmental protection) • occupational knowledge and skills (building technology, technical drawing) • general and civic education (economics, politics, German, sports) • Broad scope of activity: • Core units include: laying bricks, specialist masonry, concreting, formwork, rendering, cladding, plastering, insulation, surveying, renovation, planning (reading drawings, setting out, assessing and ordering materials), quality control.

14. Definitions: German Maurer Beruf • Formally recognised social category i .e. close relationship between occupation and social status • Regulated VET and qualifications, promotion, theoretical & practical knowledge necessary to undertake defined and broad range activities • Holistic and multi-dimensional competences linked to developing individual capacity and changes in labour process • Systematised combination of knowledge, skills and competence i.e. uniting intellectual and manual • Scope determined by social partners • Link between occupational qualification and recognition through collective bargaining • Link between occupations and education →mapping occupations onto sectoral structure

15. Conclusions 1: the qualifications skills-based (level 2) task-specific, employer-defined minimal educational input not a precondition for labour market entry occupational (level 3) notion of competence development recognised entry route to the labour market

16. Conclusions 2: Scope of the occupation skills-based restricted range of tasks, focussed on outputs and performance bricklaying as a trade occupational broad range of activities focus on the independent planning, execution and evaluation of tasks

17. Conclusions 3: Future Trends • Overall stability of European Construction workforce 2010-2020 (Cedefop 2010). • Stability in demand for intermediate levels of know-how over this period.

18. Conclusions 4: Important Developments • However, the stability of demand for intermediate level qualifications masks one important trend: - • The increasing importance of self and project management and communication abilities for construction workers over this period (Danish Technological Institute 2008)