ESRC-SDS Collaborative Studentship: Explaining employer engagement with apprenticeships

The project is funded by the ESRC and Skills Development Scotland (SDS). The aims of the project are to explore the factors that influence employers’ decisions about whether or not to develop apprenticeships, engage with apprenticeship policy, and how employers seek to shape the policy context around apprenticeship provision.

To achieve this, the research will use a mixed methods approach (secondary analysis of surveys and case studies of employers) to explore varying levels of employer engagement with apprenticeships in Scotland. In the first year, the doctoral researcher will explore existing quantitative data sets to identify patterns of engagement with apprenticeship provision. This analysis will inform the selection of at least six employer case studies in key sectors. The second year will therefore be spent working to secure access with participating employers, to understand the pressures within their sectors and industries, and interviewing key stakeholders (employers, managers, policy makers etc). The third year will be spent analyzing the data and writing up the doctoral thesis.

The successful applicant will work closely with individual employers as well as SDS and other stakeholders to deliver theoretically-rigorous and policy-relevant research. The project will result in reports to stakeholders as well as a written doctoral thesis.

Given the extensive work with employers, it is important that candidates have an understanding of how employing organisations make decisions. An interest in labour market policy is also an advantage. Candidates should be keen to develop strong qualitative research skills, and be open to opportunities to undertake training to develop quantitative data analysis skills. Candidates are likely to have a social science background, with some evidence of an enthusiasm to understand business decisions.