While apprenticeship programmes offer a lot of advantages, they also pose certain challenges. One of these challenges is that apprentices often perceive a discrepancy between what they learn at school and the skills they need in the workplace. Addressing this discrepancy requires a systematic integration of theoretical and practical knowledge. REALTO is a next-generation online platform for VET that sets out to strengthen such integration. It creates a shared digital space, offering apprentices the capability to store and share their experiences captured in photos, videos and texts. This online platform provides further support for teachers with the creation of learning activities, which illustrate the relevance of the theoretical concepts to the workplace.

The existence of this shared space enables a connection to be made between the student, teacher and supervisor. All stakeholders are able to access information about the academic and vocation-specific progress of the student, and to offer and coordinate support where needed.

The Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea) online training packages offer everyone the opportunity to develop occupational competencies free of charge, from any location via mobile phone, tablet or PC. Workers and apprentices can obtain a certificate for the modules which they successfully complete online. The main components of the online training packages are as follows:

• Mobile app services: Any user can download an app called “Human Resources Development Service of Korea” via Google Play and Android App Store. This mobile app facilitates online learning for the acquisition of technical skills for occupations such as automotive technician, electrical technician, electronics engineer, hairdresser and make-up artist.
• Online training materials: E-books and PDF files are available for vocational competency development and assessment.
• Flash video: Flash videos are available for various fields including applied software engineering, automotive technology and management, and green car management.

India’s National Instructional Media Institute (NIMI) has been functioning as a nodal agency for the development of instructional materials, e-content and question banks to train media developers, trainers and trainees, enable translation of books into Hindi and other regional languages, network with other vocational stakeholders, create resource centres for vocational courses, promote research in the field of instructional materials development and offer consultancy services.

NIMI’s centralized pool of instructional materials offers apprentices and trainees access to a variety of digital content, such as videos, 3D PowerPoint presentations, question banks and interactive flip e-books. NIMI’s interactive e-books incorporate embeded videos, quizzers and 3D models animated with rotation and exploded views, while QR codes in books allow users to watch related embedded videos.

A sample book with QR codes can be found here:

https://bharatskills.gov.in/pdf/E_Books/Electrcian_SEM1_TP.pdf.

Through this guidance, the German TVET agency BiBB offers implementation aids for various vocational training occupations. Each aid provides guidance on the training regulation for a specific occupation for in-company trainers, TVET teachers, examiners and apprentices. These aids are always published when the occupation or training regulation changes and, therefore, also explain the reasons for the need for revision and detail the updated components. In general, they provide information on the occupation as well as career and training opportunities. TVET practitioners are guided through the process of implementing apprenticeships for a specific occupation, both in companies and in schools. Finally, information and guidance is offered on the implementation of examinations.

In Austria, comprehensive information and assistance for the implementation of quality apprenticeships is available (only in German). The resources include manuals for in-company training. The occupation-specific training guides also contain tips and best-practice examples from experienced trainers. This information can be used to check what the apprentice has already learned: electronically, directly in the PDF or in the printed version. Apprentices can prepare themselves and get an overall impression of the apprenticeship examination through the examples of the theoretical and practical examinations provided.

This tool provides support for improving workshop management in compliance with standards of health protection and work safety. It presents workshop management tools and criteria for efficient workshop organization, as well as a questionnaire on performance assessment of workshop management. The document can be used as a daily handbook to help teachers/instructors understand the process and the steps that need to be taken, as well as verifying their commitment to fulfilling the requirements of effective workshop management.