Apprenticeship revisited ........................

[Chris Ryser]

A Day in the Life: Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Filed in Apprenticeship, Jobs, Workforce Development, Workforce Investment by Jared Benoff on July 1, 2015 • 0 Comments

In communities all across the country, federal, state and local governments; businesses; and community college partners are coming together to boost the economy by investing in job-driven training that builds a stronger local workforces.


This week, Secretary Perez was in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with Rep. Virginia Foxx to see the impact of these investments as well as preview what other opportunities will be possible thanks to last year’s bi-partisan passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, known more commonly as WIOA.

see all of it =============>

http://blog.dol.gov/2015/07/01/a-day...north-carolina

[wmcdonald]

Good article, Chris. I, for one......and I know you will be surprised, are not completely against apprenticeship. What I am against is the way it is done in this field, which is not a true apprenticeship in any way due to a lack of structure, and a lack of qualified trainers. I am aware of the process in Germany, and it is good, but in this country, we treat it as cheap labor where there is little actual education taking place. A true apprenticeship has a mandated formal education component included.......a specific number of classroom hours. In Opticianry in America, my research indicates that does not happen in most places.

There is another thing to consider here. Note that apprenticeship is designed for the trades, and not professional preparation in America. We shout to the rooftops about being professionals, and yet many seem to want to maintain outdated, and outmoded apprenticeship models that were long ago eliminated in every other health-related profession. Could it be they do not want to see those who come behind them considered better-prepared than they were? Apprenticeship has never, and will not now, teach Opticians in this country the critical thinking, and problem solving skills needed to meet the challenges of an ever-changing optical marketplace. It can be designed to teach the basic optics if we can find enough people with an understanding to train them, but this board is evidence that there are limited numbers.

Consider this idea...........develop a structured apprenticeship that required specific education that can be delivered online. Mandate all to take it prior to certification or licensure (now that will water down the ABO/NCLE money train a bit, but they should not be setting the standards anyway). Then develop a pathway to a full degree to allow for the management and other higher-level activities like say,, contact lenses, low vision and dare I say it........refraction.

This is not a new idea, but one I have espoused for many years, and noted here, and in many articles based upon solid research. Nurses, Dental Hygienists, Rad Techs and others have done it. ODs actually started out this way, and if we do take this approach, we may just regain some relevancy on day. Your thoughts?

[sharpstick777]

Warren, I then apologize for mis-interpreting your previous stands against Apprenticeship. A structured stepped and supervised apprenticeship is something I have argued for years. Tests required at regular intervals on specific subjects, and not one final a the end (not opposed to a final test, just that it shouldn't be the only test).

My plan would be that it would integrate Apprentice, Optician, Advanced Optician and Master Optician into a continuous stream of education and supervised study. This would ensure progress is both recognized and encouraged. The next step would always be clear, but past steps would always be rewarded.

[wmcdonald]

I want to be clear here.......I do not support apprenticeship as the desired approach for Opticians. You do not misinterpret that at all. But at the entry level, if it is designed as you describe above will work, and we can even take that and translate it into a degree which will be a good thing. See the Army and other branches of service and how they translate the MOS into a degree program for further clarification. We can then move towards higher-level skills. Not so sure what the tiered approach you describe would entail, but at the entry level is will work if the "students" are required to learn something, and not just be cheap labor.

[sharpstick777]

Although I support your call for higher education, an inherent issue with that is lack of qualified instructors (among other things). A structured and supervised apprenticeship is the least expensive solution to qualify people to teach. Optician education from people without real dispensing experience is just trading one problem for another.

My advocacy for structured apprenticeship is simply a pragmatic concession. My hope is that something like the NBEO (National Board of Examiners in Optometry) would exist for Opticians, where with one test they could find licensure across many states. This would take the burden from State Testing Boards (and thus the cost of licensure). Once the testing standards are raised, formal college education simply becomes the best way to get there. But its one step at a time.

Liquidity of licensure increases the value of that license as people can take their skills across state lines with great ease.
http://www.optometry.org/president.cfm

[wmcdonald]

Thanks. I understand, and appreciate the conversation. We need to do a lot of work.