The Prerequisites’ Impact on Commercial Knowledge in the Beginning of Apprentices’ Vocational Education and Training

• In Event: Apprenticeships, Vocational Development, and Training

Abstract

In the present project we examine students’ knowledge within the educational discipline of ‘economics and society’ in vocational training colleges in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. The project models, assesses, and analyses the structure of students’ professional competence development during vocational education. We present the results of the first of altogether four measuring points. In our presentation we focus on results of commercial knowledge and prerequisites in German language, mathematics and cognitive abilities of apprentices in the beginning of their first year. Totally 1.761 apprentices were questioned and positive correlations between prerequisites and commercial knowledge were found. Furthermore, a structural equation model gives insights in how much of the commercial knowledge’s variance is explained already at the beginning of apprenticeship.

Authors

• Doreen Holtsch, University of Zurich

• Silja Mentele, University of Zurich

• Sarah Heinzer, University of Zuerich

• Stephan Schumann, University of Konstanz

• Franz Eberle, University of Zurich