Article by Press to Exit

The Partnership For Creative Apprenticeships project came to its last year and for one of the outputs a website is being made where the apprenticeship coaches can develop their skills with different tools.

The Northern-Macedonian partner Press to Exit finalized the toolkit for apprenticeship coaches and in-company trainers. The partnership wanted this Toolkit to reflect the editorial group’s findings in mapping a specific subjective network of good practices relevant to their country’s cultural, economic, and social context concerning the apprenticeship coach profile. We designed a spreadsheet to help map the work. Each partner was asked to select 1 Tool in each of the 3 Areas of the learning output they had previously detected. The partners were asked to deliver in line with a fixed learning output to help us differentiate this mapping process and see if the tools chosen fit more than one learning output. Also, a short description offered to understand why choosing a particular tool. We initiated an editorial group with representatives from all six project partners. We collectively defined the learning outputs from the IO2, used them to search for credible tools (original and sourced material, PDFs, and links), and built a Tri-part Toolkit around self and work reflection, assessment and improvement.

A triangular structure is formed by the three critical assumptions as anchoring points and carrying on the four positions determined in IO2 (Support, Network, Training, and apprenticeship coach Specifics).

  1. I want to look back and self-reflect.

Includes tools that enable the apprenticeship coach to assess their practice in the Cultural and Creative Industry, define one’s professional profile further, and help gain additional insight into one’s particular skillsets, best practices, and study cases.

  1. I want to be present and understand what I’m doing.

Includes tools that enable the apprenticeship coach to improve one’s knowledge through creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership, communication, collaboration, information management, adaptability, and curiosity.

  1. I want to look ahead and improve my performance.

Includes tools that enable the apprenticeship coach to seek and receive accreditation and formal qualification for the non-formal and practical knowledge in a chosen area of expertise.

The users of the website will find the tools in a triangular figure, but that’s still under development. We have conducted four formal editorial meetings and several consultations with project partners.

IO3 is completed by the assigned date handed over to IO4, thus forming a bridge to the accreditation pathway through CLOCK and other routes to certification in IO6. Initial Needs Assessment to be completed by IO5 by all participants to ensure that the teaching is ‘learner centred’ and adapts to meet the individual needs of the participating trainers. Last but not least, we believe this TOOLKIT better prepares and assures the apprenticeship coach to achieve their occupational goals!