A Restricted ‘Apprenticeship’: The Work-Based Learning of Trainee Teachers in English Colleges of Further Education

This paper problematizes the position of further education (FE) colleges in England as employers and developers of their own staff and provides recommendations to enhance the work-based learning (WBL) of trainee FE teachers. Using Fuller and Unwin’s expansive—restrictive framework, the paper critiques the current practice of colleges as employers. It identifies strategies to enhance the training of these teachers who are charged with developing the vocational skills and knowledge of significant sections of the workforce. This is especially important for colleges as employers as in stark contrast to the situation in schools, ninety percent of FE teachers undertake their training on a part-time, WBL basis whilst they are also paid employees.