A Critical Public Policy Analysis of Apprenticeship Education in Türkiye: Problems and Policy Proposals in Comparison with Germany and Norway

Abstract

The apprenticeship model, which has been implemented in numerous countries, is predicated on the acquisition of vocational skills through on-the-job training under the guidance of a master. In Türkiye, this training is regulated by Law No. 3308 and overseen by the Ministry of National Education. In order to boost apprenticeship training participation, the Law was amended on 12/25/2021. These changes increased apprentices' wages and eliminated employers' financial obligations, leading to a surge in demand.

These arrangements have shifted apprenticeship institutions from vocational education for children to supplying labor demanded by markets. Market-oriented priorities have shaped political discourse and policy preferences, disregarding the fundamental principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child with respect to apprentice children. Within this framework, children have been positioned not as “apprentices” but as “workers,” and their exposure to harsh working conditions has led to numerous adverse outcomes, including fatal incidents.

These problems, widely emphasized in the literature and leaving lasting effects on children, necessitate a reconsideration of Türkiye’s apprenticeship training system from a child rights perspective. In doing so, it should be highlighted the parts of the system that disadvantage children by comparing them to international practices. The problems in the literature have long-term effects on children and call for a child rights-based reconsideration of Türkiye's apprenticeship training system. The main aim of the study is to critically analyze the structural features of apprenticeship training in Türkiye through comparative perspective and to question prevailing policy orientations within the framework of children’s rights.

The study uses a qualitative research design based on document analysis. National legislation (Law No. 3308 and related regulations), Ministry of National Education statistics, reports by trade unions and civil society organizations, and academic studies are examined. The data are analyzed through descriptive and content analysis in line with the conceptual framework.