Ensuring the capacity of TVET providers to provide the off-the-job component of apprenticeships

The issue: The key role of TVET providers

TVET providers can be secondary schools, vocational training institutes or post-secondary educational institutes managed by public, private or civil society organizations. TVET providers organize off-the-job training for apprentices, which provides relevant theoretical knowledge to complement on-the-job training at the workplace. However, the scope of off-the-job training may include some general education subjects, the development of soft skills, as well as digital and entrepreneurial skills. In some cases, TVET providers also offer basic practical training, or even specialized practical training, for which enterprises, in particular SMEs, may not have the necessary facilities in house. In some countries, the functions of TVET providers also include managing apprenticeship training (see box 4.11).

Box 4.11 Dual training, South Korea

In South Korea, dual training centres may play the following roles, in addition to providing off-the-job training:

  • recruiting partner companies in joint training agreements
  • recruiting apprentices for training centre managed apprenticeships
  • developing training programmes
  • supporting the development of training tools
  • offering consultation services and general assistance for partner companies
  • assessing competencies acquired by apprentices.
Source: Kang, Jeon and Lee, 2017.


TVET providers should work in close collaboration with employers to ensure synergy between off-the-job and on-the-job training components. The various ways in this training can be scheduled are deatiled in section "Developing a training plan").