Company Engagement in Apprenticeships in Crisis-Hit Greece: A Critical Overview

Varvara Lalioti, Dimitris Karantinos and Manolis Chrysakis
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Varvara Lalioti: Department of Social Administration and Political Science, Democritus University of Thrace, Panagi Tsaldari 1, Komotini 69100, Greece
Dimitris Karantinos: National Centre for Social Research, Kratinou 9 & Athinas, Athens 10552, Greece
Manolis Chrysakis: National Centre for Social Research, Kratinou 9 & Athinas, Athens 10552, Greece

Social Sciences, 2018, vol. 7, issue 7, 1-15

Abstract: In contrast to the relatively limited attention given in the past to apprenticeships and apprenticeship-related issues in Greece, the crisis has triggered a definite interest in this area. This is largely due to the serious implications of the crisis, in conjunction with the idea that apprenticeships could be an alternative educational pathway for boosting labour market integration, an idea also promoted by EU institutions. Against this backdrop, the present article is, essentially, the first effort made to highlight, in a succinct and critical way, the crucial dimensions of an under-researched key aspect of the apprenticeships in Greece: company engagement. Drawing on the findings of a large-scale, mostly qualitative, research project (December 2015–March 2017) that reviewed apprenticeship programmes in this country, and during which, inter alia, 150 stakeholders were surveyed and an online survey was conducted with 828 employers, the article highlights the strengths characterizing company involvement in apprenticeships, but also severe shortcomings which overshadow the strengths. It is argued that there is an urgent need for restructuring. Otherwise, the potential of apprenticeships in Greece to be an alternative educational pathway to boost employment at a time of extremely high unemployment, especially for young people, will be undermined.

Keywords: vocational education and training (VET); apprenticeships; company engagement; Greece; crisis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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