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These apprentices have a greater chance of success
A new study shows that where you complete your apprenticeship makes a big difference.
Do you know someone considering doing an apprenticeship? If so, it might be a good idea to read their contract very carefully.
Who the aspiring apprentice signs an agreement with can have a major impact on the outcome.
The likelihood of passing the final exam and obtaining a trade certificate is significantly higher for apprentices affiliated with a training agency than for those who sign a contract directly with an independent private company.
A surprisingly large disadvantage
This is one of the findings of a recent study from NTNU.
The researchers examined the role that training agencies play in the transition from school to apprenticeship.
The goal was to gain a better understanding of whether the agencies help more apprentices complete their education.
“We found a surprisingly significant disadvantage for apprentices who were not affiliated with a training agency. We also identified major differences between the various training agencies,” says Torberg Falch, a professor at NTNU’s Department of Economics.
Not previously investigated
He conducted the study together with Anna Cecilia Rapp, a researcher at NTNU’s Department of Teacher Education who led the project From School to Work.
“Previous qualitative studies suggested that these agencies serve as an important link between education and working life. They recruit and support the companies offering training, place and monitor apprentices, ensure the quality of training, and help maintain continuity. However, this has not been investigated before using quantitative methods, as we have done,” Rapp explains.
A qualitative study uses interviews or observations to gain insight into people's experiences and perspectives, while a quantitative study uses numerical data and statistics to identify patterns.
Students fail, amend, or change contracts
The study shows that young people who begin their apprenticeships at independent private companies are more likely to amend or change their contracts than others.
37 per cent of these contracts end with the apprentice failing the final exam.
6 out of 10 apprentices who fail the final exam change contracts – most often to a training agency. They then complete their training in the same manner as those who started with a training agency from the beginning.
The researchers found major differences in completion rates, both between training agencies and between agencies and training companies that are not part of the apprenticeship programme.
70 per cent of today's upper secondary school students complete their education within the standard time frame. Another 10 per cent complete it with up to two years of delay.
More than half of upper secondary school students in Norway currently choose vocational training. Here, the completion rate is 20 per cent lower, and dropout is a major problem.
A growing shortage of skilled workers is expected
The study is based on apprenticeship contracts and educational data from just over 8,000 people in Trøndelag County. The dataset covers the period from 2018 to 2023.
Because the data also includes apprentices in independent companies, the researchers have been able to compare the two groups.
“We know that an even greater shortage of skilled workers is expected in certain professions. At the same time, vocational programmes as a whole have a significantly lower completion rate than general studies programmes,” says Rapp.
Vulnerable groups tend to drop out
Vulnerable students are more likely to drop out before their apprenticeship period even begins.
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds, with lower grades, or facing other challenges are less likely to secure the most attractive apprenticeships.
The likelihood of completing an apprenticeship programme is also closely linked to lower secondary school grades. According to the study, one grade point above the average increases the probability of passing the final exam by 10.1 percentage points.
“It appears that lower secondary school grades reflect characteristics of pupils that are highly significant for how well they do in working life,” says Rapp.
Being in the minority is a major challenge
Most apprenticeship contracts are in the construction industry, followed by the healthcare, childhood, and youth development sector.
There tend to be more men in the construction, electrical, and industrial sectors, while women dominate in the healthcare sector.
One finding is that men are generally more likely to complete their apprenticeships, though not in public-sector training companies. The public sector often takes on apprentices from the healthcare, childhood, and youth development programme.
The researchers cannot say for certain whether this is due to the public-sector training companies themselves or specific characteristics of the educational programme.
While boys tend to perform less well in school than girls, it appears that they make up for some of this during their apprenticeship. These findings also suggest that the underrepresented gender within a particular trade faces the greatest challenges.
A mismatch between education and working life?
Social background, gender, and ethnicity all matter. So do place of residence, unemployment levels, and the types of companies available in the local area.
The shortage of apprenticeships is also a challenge.
The researchers highlight that what students learn in school does not always match what employers need.
Schools collaborate with employers that may be subject to competitive pressure. As times change and technologies, regulatory frameworks, and economic conditions evolve, the apprenticeship period can become a particularly vulnerable stage.
The researchers conclude that training agencies serve as an important and stabilising component of what they call the skills ecosystem for vocational training.
Reference:
Falch, T. & Rapp, A.C. Transitions in vocational education and training – challenges in the role of training agencies in Norway, Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training, 2026. DOI: 10.1186/s40461-025-00203-6
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Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no
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