Apprenticeships in Scotland: comparative case studies of Fair Work

Purpose This article examines how apprenticeships contribute to Fair Work in Scotland by comparing two large organisations and analysing how differing employer motivations appear to shape apprenticeship design, delivery and outcomes. Design/methodology/approach The article draws on qualitative organisational case studies using interviews and documentary analysis. Bredgaard's (2017) typology of employer engagement is used to distinguish development-oriented committed organisations, which treat apprenticeships as strategic workforce investments, from altruistically motivated committed employers, which frame apprenticeships as a form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Fuller and Unwin's (2003) expansive and restrictive framework and the Scottish Fair Work (2016) dimensions are applied to assess learning environments, employment relationships and Fair Work outcomes. Findings The development-oriented organisation most closely reflects an expansive model, characterised by structured learning, transparent progression routes and collaborative programme design involving trade unions. Fair Work principles are strongly embedded, evident in the integration of opportunity, security, effective voice, fulfilment and respect within apprenticeship practice. The altruistically motivated employer displays more restrictive features, particularly through weaker integration into occupational communities, less-structured progression and more limited institutional support. Apprentices are positioned more as recipients of opportunity than as participants in an institutionalised developmental relationship. Originality/value The article demonstrates that positive attitudes and levels of employer engagement with apprenticeships are not sufficient to deliver Fair Work outcomes. It shows how different forms of committed employer motivation and conceptualisation are associated with distinct patterns of apprenticeship quality, learner experience and organisational outcomes, highlighting the need to scrutinise the intentions underpinning employer participation in skills policy.