Browsing by Author "Just, Andreas"

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Open Access
How training quality, trainer competence, and satisfaction with training affect vocational identification of apprentices in vocational education programs
(2024) Wuttke, Eveline; Heinrichs, Karin; Koegler, Kristina; Just, Andreas
Vocational identification means being identified with an organization and with one’s career. Both are key objectives of vocational education and training (VET) programs and advantageous for employees and employers. For employees, vocational identification is often associated with positive work-related emotions and job satisfaction; for employers, workers’ identification with the organization and the career enhances their performance and reduces turnover. Thus, investment in employees’ professional development that has the potential to support vocational identification is advantageous for all involved. In light of current demographic changes and a decreasing demand for full-time work, which are leading to a shortage of skilled workers and lower enrolment in apprenticeship programs, it is essential to bind young talents to companies at an early stage and avoid resignations during or after training. Findings from various empirical studies confirm that those who identify with their chosen career and the organization for which they work are more satisfied, think less about quitting, and perform better. Little empirical research has been conducted on how apprentices in VET programs identify with their career or organization or the extent to which such identification enhances their job satisfaction. In this study, we therefore investigate factors that influence apprentices’ identification with their career and organization, in particular, the effects of training quality and trainer competence. Our results indicate that apprentices identify strongly with their career and with the organization where they are doing their training and are mostly satisfied with the quality of their training. Structural equation modeling reveals the relevance of career choice, training quality, and job satisfaction for identification with an organization and (less) with a career. The learning and working conditions in the organization, and more specifically, the variety of tasks offered to the apprentices and the trainer’s pedagogical aptitude explain satisfaction with the training and career identification; the trainer’s presence and the apprentices’ satisfaction with training explain, to some degree, variance in organizational identification.
Open Access
Too busy to read, too important to ignore : how teachers manage to read work-related literature in their day-to-day work
(2024) Schirle, Linda; Just, Andreas; Sälzer, Christine
Educational policy and research demand evidence-orientation from teachers in their professional activities. However, how teachers should integrate this requirement into their everyday work remains controversial. The resources available to teachers - above all time - play a central role. Teachers are a very heterogeneous professional group that differs at least in terms of the subjects they teach. Using teacher data from PISA 2022, this study explores: (1) whether mathematics teachers differ from others in reading work-related literature, (2) whether there are distinct types of mathematics teachers based on time investment during a regular workweek, (3) how these types differ in mental health, job satisfaction, collaboration, and training needs, including the respective role of reading work-related literature, and (4) what conclusions can be drawn for education policy and practice. Data from 2516 teachers in Germany were analyzed using K-means clustering, mean comparisons, and Chi 2 tests to compare mathematics teachers with other subject teachers and examine time allocation with respect to the engagement in reading work-related literature. The results highlight the importance of categorizing teachers into specific subgroups and considering various factors affecting their teaching and commitment in professional development. For mathematics teachers, the findings offer initial insights into how their time investment impacts their ability to engage with work-related literature and the unique challenges they face. This has implications for their professional development and support.