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STEM industries apprenticeships: organization influences, skill gaps, and challenges facing the 21st-century workforce: an evaluation study

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STEM industries apprenticeships: organization influences, skill gaps, and challenges facing the 21st-century workforce: an evaluation study

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Content Running head: APPRENTICESHIPS 1

STEM INDUSTRIES APPRENTICESHIPS: ORGANIZATION INFLUENCES, SKILL GAPS,
AND CHALLENGES FACING THE 21st-CENTURY WORKFORCE
AN EVALUATION STUDY
by
Angela Bland

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

May, 2019

Copyright © 2019 Angela Bland
APPRENTICESHIPS 2
Dedication
This dissertation is dedicated to my Mom although you are no longer with us in the physical,
your spirit will forever live within me. Because of you, I am.
And to:
United States Merchant Marine Officer, Captain Eric Bland (My Husband), “When you know
your why, you can endure the how” I could not have endured this journey without you. My why
was always clear to me but what was often unclear is the how. I am forever grateful for you
showing me the how. Through your support I was able to balance life and maintain faith.
OSRAN NE NOROMMA “The star and the Moon”-I the North Star will always have a deep
love for you my moon.

APPRENTICESHIPS 3
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I would like to thank God for all of the blessings received. If it wasn’t
for his continuous grace this dissertation would not have been possible.
I would like to express the deepest appreciation to my Committee Chair Dr. Monique
Datta for the advice and guidance throughout this journey. It was a great privilege to have you as
my Chair, your spirit allowed me to trust the process.
I would like to thank my committee members Dr. Alan Green and Dr. Don Murphy, your
feedback and insight was most valuable in strengthening this dissertation. The time you provided
to the proposal and final defense is most appreciated.
I would like to express a heartfelt thanks to Dr. Evelyn Castillo for helping me unlock
key elements in my writing and the structure of this dissertation. You Rock!
My sincere thanks to Dr. llda Jimenez for the ODA support, I appreciate you.
I owe a lot of gratitude to Oscar Meier, Apprenticeship Advisor LAUSD/Division of
Adult and Career Education and Kenyatta Whitworth, IBU Apprenticeship Director for allowing
me access to the organization and Joint Apprenticeship Committee, this was key to the
completion of this dissertation. I will be forever indebted for always being available to answer
questions and supporting documentation for my research.
To the Best Support Team EVER!
Curtis Crum (My Cousin, retired U.S. Lieutenant Colonel) and Coretha Williamson (My
Sister), not only did you two believe in me but did it unconditionally and for that I would not be
where I am without family like you.
Nefatiti Anderson and Carolyn Harrison we’ve shared over 25 years of friendship and
from day one always you have encouraged and inspired me no matter how crazy the idea. Your-
APPRENTICESHIPS 4
never ending support has always given me the strength to leap in faith. I LOVE you both in my
soul.
Last but not least; Baileys, Saki, and Bella. I am forever grateful for sitting at my feet
listening to me read aloud and know when to put your wet nose on my lap for comfort.

APPRENTICESHIPS 5
Table of Contents
A Dissertation Presented to the ....................................................................................................... 1
List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. 7
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. 8
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 9
Introduction to the Problem of Practice ........................................................................................ 10
Organizational Context and Mission ............................................................................................ 12
Importance of the Evaluation ........................................................................................................ 13
Description of Stakeholder Groups ............................................................................................... 14
Organizational Performance Goal ................................................................................................. 15
Stakeholder Group of Focus and Stakeholder Goal ...................................................................... 17
Purpose of the Project and Questions ........................................................................................... 18
Methodological Approach ............................................................................................................ 18
Review of the Literature ............................................................................................................... 19
Maritime Apprenticeship Model ............................................................................................... 19
Apprenticeship-Building Skill Workers ................................................................................... 20
Investing in Apprenticeship Programs ...................................................................................... 23
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences .......................................... 24
Knowledge and Skills ............................................................................................................... 24
Motivation Influence ................................................................................................................. 26
Organizational Influences ......................................................................................................... 28
Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................................. 29
Data Collection and Instrumentation ............................................................................................ 31
Surveys ...................................................................................................................................... 32
Interview ................................................................................................................................... 33
Limitations ................................................................................................................................ 33
Results and Findings ..................................................................................................................... 34
Demographic Profile of the Participants ................................................................................... 34
Results and Findings for Research Question 1 ......................................................................... 36
Results and Findings for Research Question 2 ......................................................................... 39
Declarative and Procedural Knowledge .................................................................................... 40
Motivation Influences ............................................................................................................... 44
Organization Influences ............................................................................................................ 48
Summary of Results and Findings ................................................................................................ 51
Discussion of the Findings in Relation to the Literature .......................................................... 53
APPRENTICESHIPS 6
Recommendations for Practice ..................................................................................................... 55
Knowledge Recommendations ................................................................................................. 55
Motivation Recommendations .................................................................................................. 57
Organization Recommendations ............................................................................................... 59
Cultural Setting ......................................................................................................................... 61
Culture Model ........................................................................................................................... 62
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Framework ........................................................... 62
Organizational Purpose, Need, and Expectations ..................................................................... 63
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators ................................................................................... 64
Level 3: Behavior ...................................................................................................................... 64
Level 2: Learning ...................................................................................................................... 67
Level 1: Reaction ...................................................................................................................... 69
Evaluation Tools ....................................................................................................................... 70
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 71
Recommendations for Future Research ........................................................................................ 72
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 72
References ..................................................................................................................................... 74
Appendix A: Participating Stakeholders with Sampling Criteria for Surveys and Interviews ..... 83
Appendix B: Protocols .................................................................................................................. 86
Appendix C: Credibility and Trustworthiness .............................................................................. 93
Appendix D: Validity and Reliability ........................................................................................... 94
Appendix E: Ethics ....................................................................................................................... 95

APPRENTICESHIPS 7
List of Tables
Table 1. Organizational Mission and Performance Goals ............................................................ 16
Table 2. KMO Influences for a Modified Gap Analysis ............................................................. 29
Table 3. JAC Member Survey Participants .................................................................................. 35
Table 4. JAC Members’ Verbatim Responses to Knowledge of a Maritime Apprenticeship Prior
to Joining the JAC .......................................................................................................... 40
Table 5. Results and Findings Summary ..................................................................................... 52
Table 6. Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations ......................................... 56
Table 7. Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations .......................................... 57
Table 8. Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations ...................................... 60
Table 9. Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes ......................... 64
Table 10. Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation ............................. 65
Table 11. Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors .......................................................... 65
Table 12. Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program ....................................... 68
Table 13. Components to Measure Reactions to the Program ..................................................... 69

APPRENTICESHIPS 8
List of Figures
Figure 1. Conceptual framework: Interactions between the organization, stakeholder group, and
organizational goal ......................................................................................................... 31
Figure 2. JAC members’ self-reporting of organization goal and purpose ................................... 39
Figure 3. JAC members’ self-reporting of their role relative to the program ............................... 39
Figure 4. JAC members’ self-reporting of the value of an apprenticeship program .................... 41
Figure 5. JAC members’ self-reporting of ideas supported .......................................................... 47
Figure 6. JAC members’ self-reporting of motivation relative to goal ......................................... 47
Figure 7. JAC members’ self-reporting of working together ....................................................... 51

APPRENTICESHIPS 9
Abstract
California is likely to have experienced a shortage in middle skill workers, reaching
approximately 1.5 million workers by 2025. Workers who are skilled in STEM-based careers
have been thought necessary to sustain the nation’s innovation enterprise, which includes the
maritime industry. The Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis was implemented as the conceptual
framework to identify causes of performance gaps that impact the organization ability to achieve
its organizational goals. Results indicate that declarative knowledge were lacking at the onset of
the apprenticeship curriculum development initiative, but current members gained sufficient
insight into the requirements of the maritime industry. Gains in procedural knowledge revolved
around the central role of the Coast Guard in determining curriculum requirements. Two
motivational factors, harbor employer buy-in to the program and finding appropriate placement
for apprentices, were identified as barriers in goal achievement. Organizationally the union’s
protocols and governing laws that codetermined curriculum requirements together with the
harbor organizations’ overall culture of nepotism were also identified as barriers to goal
achievement.
APPRENTICESHIPS 10

Introduction to the Problem of Practice
By 2025, the state of California will likely experience a shortage in middle-skill workers,
who are classified as having “some” postsecondary education, but less education than a
bachelor’s degree. The future gap in middle-skill workers may reach 1.5 million, which is an
even greater figure than the projected shortage of 1 million college graduates (Bohn, 2018). As
technological advances continue to influence nearly every aspect of modern life, the skill gap
crisis facing the 21st-century workforce is not only apparent in the state of California, but also
nationwide.
Many researchers have detailed the growing concerns of policymakers and industry
leaders about the shortage in middle-skill workers that are trained in the science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM) industries. Skilled workers in STEM-based careers have been
thought necessary to sustain the nation’s innovation enterprise, global competitiveness, and the
United States National Security Council (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015). Perhaps most notable
was Rising Above the Gathering Storm, a National Academies Report which highlighted a
number of STEM-related issues, including low retention in STEM fields and a decline in the
number of Americans enrolled in STEM majors compared to other developed countries (National
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2007). These sentiments were echoed in a
2012 report conducted by the U.S Congress Joint Economic Committee that stated STEM
workforce had fallen short of the demand for STEM skill occupational workers (Casey, 2012).
According to Fayer, Lacey, and Watson (2017), there were approximately 8.6 million workers
employed in STEM-related positions, which accounted for 6.2% of the workforce. Nearly half of
these jobs (45%) consisted of computer-based occupations, and 19% were engineers (Fayer et
al., 2017). Considering that the labor force was comprised of 161.5 million workers as of May
APPRENTICESHIPS 11
2016, workers employed in STEM-related careers represented a mere dent in the overall
workforce (Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, 2018).
The landscape for skilled STEM skilled workers has changed tremendously due to
globalization and technologies. The middle-skill workers are able to offer marketable services
through two likely ways. This includes promoting from within, where unions negotiated careers
that were linked to skills and seniority, or through college, where young adults were told that the
key to achieving the American dream was to major in well-suited fields (Thomas, Finegold, &
Osterman, 2012). When union membership declined so did investments in training programs like
apprenticeships. Simultaneously, the kinds of skills that employers demanded changed to
advanced technical problem solving, teamwork, and leadership. Hence, a divide started forming
between the academic curricula and the middle-skill workforce as it pertained to STEM.
As of May 2014, there were 375,000 registered apprenticeship programs in the United
States compared to more than 1.4 million in Europe (Gurwitz & Steinberg, 2014). Germany, for
example, is known for its particularly successful apprenticeship program where employers invest
in services that encourage the refinement of specific skills (Helper, Noonan, Nicholson, &
Langdon, 2016). For example, Henrik Tillman, a 19-year-old apprentice that was training at
Hebmuller Aerospace to be an industrial clerk, devoted 3 and a half days per week to training at
the company’s production center, and another day and a half at a government-funded school
(Ydstie, 2018). The idea behind this dynamic was that before Tillman could be appointed as a
clerk, he must understand how to build the products provided by this company in order to able to
thoroughly describe the products to customers. Recently, the need for apprenticeship programs in
the United States has become imperative. In 2016, President Donald Trump signed an executive
order to increase the country’s apprenticeship programs to 5 million (Ydstie, 2018), representing
APPRENTICESHIPS 12
a 10-fold increase. Experts, however, doubted that this expectation would be met due to the $200
million funding required (Helper et al., 2016; Ydstie, 2018). Previously, former President Barack
Obama sought to raise the number of apprenticeship programs to 750,000 by 2018, and despite
having met the halfway point in 2016, the country had yet to understand the full implications of
apprenticeship programs in professional positions at this time (Helper et al., 2016). The objective
of the present study is to better understand the influences, gaps, and challenges that an
organization may face in developing a technologically-driven apprentice program.
Organizational Context and Mission
The Pacific Mariners Inland Union (PMIU; an assigned pseudonym) is a labor union that
was first organized in 1918. The mission of PMIU is rooted in democracy, as the union has
worked toward the collective economic and cultural betterment of its membership. In October
1980, the PMIU became a division of the Maritime Division of the International
Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union with 3,160 members that represented a wide range
of jobs in the maritime industry (Unionfacts, 2018). This range included but was not limited to
engineers, merchant marine captains, able-bodied seafarers (AB), deckhands, barges, marine
oilers, towers, marine construction workers, and oil spill migration workers within the inland and
coastal waterways of California. These workers collectively agreed to meet the demands of
Maritime Industry Standard, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) credentials, and other
industry certifications. The PMIU is a single entity with a national scope, where the geographic
jurisdiction requires membership to be served and represented in various regions of the United
States. It is built on its membership, and the strength and unity of the membership determines the
union’s course and advancements. The principal of the PMIU, as stated, is to promote the general
welfare of communities, and to banish racial and religious prejudice and discrimination to
achieve permanent peace (Inland Boatmen’s Union of the Pacific, 2012).
APPRENTICESHIPS 13
The PMIU represents a link in the chain of workers employed by the maritime industry.
These workers are crucial to the American economy and national and homeland security in three
public ports in California. These ports, which are considered mega ports, include Los Angeles,
Long Beach, and Oakland. The bodies of water include all bays, inlets, any navigable lakes, river
systems, and delta from the borders of Oregon and Mexico. The PMIU’s main focus of
employment is based around the major ports where the United States Coast Guard maritime
credentials are required for college degree and non-degree positions. Individuals with this
endorsement can work on any commercial ship that is registered in the United States, including
tugboats, supply boats, and barges (America Maritime Partnership, 2013). The apprenticeship
training methodology is particularly important for this industry, because having experience and
earning certification through classroom training can create a pathway to reinforce skilled
merchant marine workers. This, in turn, could further advance the trade in global logistics and
advanced transportation system in watercrafts.
The PMIU Apprentice Program is a part of the California Community College
Chancellor’s Office California Apprenticeship Initiative (CAI). Classroom training is conducted
by the school district under study (assigned the pseudonym of School District Q) and industry-
certified instructors, along with Harbor Occupational College. Apart from predictions of growth
in this industry, the latest challenges to the PMIU membership are new industry standards to
reduce the amount of pollutants emitted by harbor crafts, diesel and auxiliary, which were
adopted by California Air Code of Regulations. In the new industry standards, maritime workers
must learn operational procedures that are aligned with such regulations.
Importance of the Evaluation
The Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland are the primary waterways for all
commodities and goods traded between California and the greater United States. Collectively,
APPRENTICESHIPS 14
these ports are the most active ports in North America. If the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports
were considered a single entity, they would be the ninth busiest port in the world (Port of Long
Beach, 2018). According to the California Chamber of Commerce (2015), these ports directly
employ 46,000 individuals and provide approximately 1.5 million jobs across the state.
In recent years, the maritime industry has overall undergone changes as a result of
increased logistical problems in the ports, as well as ever-increasing environmental impact
guidelines. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics
Administration Office of the Chief Economist (2017), the STEM industry is expected to increase
8.9 percent by 2024. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018) projected a 29 percent
increase in maritime industry jobs, including an increase of able seaman new hires of 16.7
percent by 2022. At the same time, the maritime labor force is divided between a projected 45
percent aging, highly skilled worker who will retire by 2022, and young workers that lack
experience and the proper certifications for the globalization and technological innovation of the
industry. To meet demand, the PMIU has prompted for highly skilled workers and is redefining
how they are investing in an education to workforce development program. The country’s
economic competitiveness relies on a highly skilled workforce, and it is crucial for all
stakeholders to remain committed to reshaping American’s modern workforce. Failing to
maintain skilled and diverse talent to meet the future technological, economic, and social growth
trends may have an adverse effect on the organization’s ability to accomplish it goal.
Description of Stakeholder Groups
There are three primary stakeholder groups that contributed directly to achieving the
organizational performance goal of this study. These groups include the California State Division
of Apprenticeship Standards, the Joint Apprenticeship Committee (JAC), and School District Q.
The California State Division of Apprenticeship Standards (CSDAS) governs the establishment
APPRENTICESHIPS 15
of apprenticeship programs by guiding the JAC through federal and state registration
requirements. The role of the CSDAS is to help meet the performance goal of helping
apprenticeship programs to become a federal and state-registered apprenticeship program.
School District Q oversees the development and roll out of the maritime apprentice program per
the outline grant-funding guidelines. The sustainability of the funding and program depends on
the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the union and employers. The role of School
District Q is vital in building the structure of the maritime apprenticeship program, training
curriculum, United States Coast Guard certification alignment, and establishing partnerships with
education institutes. The JAC is instrumental in meeting the performance goal, as it is the
executive body governing the maritime apprenticeship program. JAC is responsible for
establishing policies and bylaws and directing the partnerships with other maritime industry
leaders and industry companies. The CSDAS, the JAC, and School District Q are partners and
advisors to the PMIU, with common interests of building a pipeline of skilled workers to meet
the growing demand of the maritime industry. A pipeline of skilled workers is defined as a talent
pool of workers who are ready to fill a specific job position (Rouse, 2018).
Organizational Performance Goal
The goal of the PMIU is to establish the first maritime-registered apprenticeship program
through the CDAS by September 2018. This program would serve to overcome the technical
skill gap of the maritime workforce by providing apprentices with hands-on training on ships and
classroom training to obtain United States Coast Guard credentials. The maritime industry has
changed significantly over the past decade due to environmental and technological
advancements, and the PMIU apprenticeship model aimed to address the most current content.
APPRENTICESHIPS 16
Of all countries, those located in Eastern Asia have dominated the liner industry (World
Shipping Council, 2014). According to the World Shipping Council, China accounted for 28% of
the value of liner exports and 30% of the worldwide-containerized exports in 2014.
Greater growth and change may translate into a greater need for skilled STEM maritime
workers. This would require the merchant marine industry to seek highly trained able seaman
apprentices that are uniquely knowledgeable about California’s industry environmental
standards. School District Q partnered with the PMIU program with support from CIA, which
provides grant funding to create apprenticeship programs in new occupations (Division of
Apprenticeship Standards, 2017). The grant enabled the JAC to develop and implement a
comprehensive strategy to meet the organization goal. This organizational goal includes District
Q and the JAC as an outlined requirement of the grant to oversee the operations of the
apprenticeship program. Table 1 identifies the organization mission and organizational
performance goals.
Table 1
Organizational Mission and Performance Goals
Organizational Mission
The mission of the PMIU to maintain, train and equip union members, as the union works
toward the collective economic and cultural betterment of its membership.
Organizational Performance Goal
Establish the first maritime-registered apprenticeship program through the CDAS by January
2019.
JAC School District Q CDAS
By January 2019, start the
two-year classroom
curriculum and on-the-job
training program aligned
By October, develop the
apprenticeship model of
learning to the merchant
By September 2018, guide
the Joint Apprenticeship
Committee through the DAS
APPRENTICESHIPS 17

Stakeholder Group of Focus and Stakeholder Goal
The efforts of the three aforementioned stakeholders are vital in achieving the
organizational goal of developing the first maritime apprenticeship program in the state of
California. The primary stakeholder group in this study, however, was the JAC. The
establishment of the JAC is instrumental to the development of local training program from all
levels of endorsement and licenses in the maritime industry. The JAC is comprised of members
who represent California State Apprenticeship Standards, education institutes, maritime industry
leaders, and equal representation from labor workers and from management. There is an elect
chairman, secretary and other officers who oversee affirmative action to provide equal
opportunity in the program (DAS, 2017). The goal of the JAC is to establish a 2-year maritime
apprenticeship program to meet current and future needs as related to the maritime industry. The
objective of the JAC is to foster partnerships to invest resources to develop an apprentice that
meets the demand of a highly skilled workforce. The thought process that supports this program
is that after a period of two years working in an apprenticeship role, one should develop the skill
set needed to effectively perform the responsibility of their desired position. Effective planning
and the development of relationships are vital to the success of the JAC in meeting its goal.
Failure to identify risks, address issues, and understand stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities as
the program develops can ultimately present challenges to meeting the objective of having the
first apprentice cohorts identified by January 2019.
with education institute
partners. Define the first
cohort of 50 apprentices.
marine industry. Approve the
curriculum and provide the
requisite classroom instruction.
registration process, which
require alignment with the
standards of the United
States Coast Guard
credentials.
APPRENTICESHIPS 18
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which the JAC is achieving its
goal to establish an innovative technology-driven apprentice program. The researcher’s analysis
focused on the knowledge, motivation, and organization influences obtained from surveys and
interviews conducted with the JAC members. As such, the questions that guided this study were:
1. To what extent is the JAC meeting its goal in establishing a maritime apprentice
program in Southern California?
2. What are the JAC knowledge and motivation influences in developing and
implementing the apprentice program?
3. What are the recommended organizational practice in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources in a STEM industry to train a steady
pipeline of middle-skill workers?
Methodological Approach
Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis was implemented as the conceptual framework.
This method serves to identify causes of performance gaps of the JAC that impact the PMIU’s
ability to achieve its organizational goals. The framework included analysis of knowledge,
motivational, and organizational influences that are critical to achieving organizational goals
(Clark & Estes, 2008). A mixed-methods approach was used for this study, in that the researcher
utilized both quantitative (i.e., survey) and qualitative (i.e., interviews) instruments. This
approach provided flexibility and an interactive framework to allow appropriate changes to
happen as new information was discovered (Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell, 2014).
Research-based solutions and evaluation strategies are recommended at the end of this
dissertation.
APPRENTICESHIPS 19
Review of the Literature
This section includes a review of literature in which scholars identified factors that
influence the PMIU’s efforts to develop the JAC, a registered maritime apprentice program in
the state of California. These factors are categorized into three research topics: the maritime
apprenticeship model, apprentice-building skill workers, and investing in apprenticeship
programs.
Maritime Apprenticeship Model
The merchant marine model has fostered a tradition of balancing tertiary education in
instruction with practical hands-on-training in labs and on seas (Merchant Marine Academy,
2013). The model has been an illustrative example of transforming a largely unskilled, labor-
intensive industry to a capital-intensive one (Lau & Ng, 2015). During early training, maritime
education focused on vocational training of deck and technology on board sea-going vessels as
their knowledge, skills, and willingness could contribute to the reliability and efficiency of its
operation (Gardner, Marlow, & Naim, 2007). As technology became a driving force in the
maritime industry, there was a need to change the approach of teaching and learning. With the
added importance for domain awareness, navigational flows of waterways and passive vessel
tracking, learning behavior became a strategic priority for maritime operators and decision-
makers (Falcon, Abielmona, & Blasch, 2014). The educational process shifted from the passing
of knowledge from the expert to the novice in a traditional classroom setting (Bhardwaj &
Pazavar, 2014). This approach entailed training in state-of-the-art mission and part-task
computerized simulators. Learning, in this context, was identified by a change in the students’
behavioral and cognitive functioning (Bhardwaj & Pazavar, 2014).
According to Tusting and Barton (2003), behavioral models of learning offer simplicity,
control, and a method for approaching the teaching of complex behaviors in relatively
APPRENTICESHIPS 20
straightforward ways. When students experience challenges that trigger their problem-solving
skills and force them to think critically while performing, they are able to adapt to evolving
situations while maintaining high levels of performance (Rhodes, Bomberger, Seibert, &
Waxman, 2005). Cooper (1993) identified the basic assumptions as objectivism, where the key to
analyzing human behavior lied in the observation of external events, in which the environment
was the significant factor in determining human behavior, along with enforcement, where the
consequents of one’s actions affect one’s subsequent behavior. A simplistic view is knowledge-
of-results feedback as acting like reinforcement to give way to more complex notions, while
learning increases the likelihood of the emergence of target behaviors, the primary reinforces are
considered to be learner generated as motivation feedback (Salmoni, Schmidt, & Walter, 1984).
Providing the learner with control over instances of practice improves the process of motor skill
acquisition and self-controlled knowledge of results. A possible explanation is that self-control
leads learners to more active task involvement, permitting deeper information processing
(Figueiredo, Ugrinowitsch, Freire, Shea, & Benda, 2018).
The changing conditions for maritime safety and security formal training are emphasized
to a greater degree than in past decades. Mariners’ conditions are difficult inland and at sea, as
the maritime industry has competed with other industries for young men and women, education
and training need to address how student’s best learn (Varkonyi, 2009). The unique requirements
of the maritime industry necessitate a hybrid-learning platform with hands-on learning
experience in a maritime-structured program with simulation-advanced technology.
Apprenticeship-Building Skill Workers
The aptitude of middle-skill workers in the United States is critical to their economic
performance, as well as to that of society at large (Lerman, 2008). German-based Siemens,
APPRENTICESHIPS 21
which needed to nearly double its workforce to 1,600 after moving its manufacturing facility
from Ontario, Canada to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2010, is among thousands of companies in
the United States using apprenticeships to develop their own base of middle-skill workers
(Ladika, 2016). According to Hamnet and Baker (2012), apprenticeships must be developed to fit
the needs of innovative, technological employers, particularly those in STEM-related industries.
Through apprenticeships, the employer can train and hire employees with desired skills for the
position (Hamnet & Baker, 2012). Chen and Qu (2003) explored the role of technological
learning in industrially developing countries. Chen and Qu conducted a formal inquiry to
discover how China strategically used operational tactics (i.e., apprenticeships) to grow its
workforce, even in economically challenging times. Krueger and Kumar (2003) echoed this
statement in their exploration of the differences between the United States and Europe regarding
skill-specific education to build its workforce. These researchers probed the technological
growth gap influences that existed between the United States and Europe in the mid-1980s
(Krueger & Kumar, 2003).
These differences continue to exist in building middle-skill workers. According to
Lazaryan, Neelakantan, and Price (2014), despite Germany having a lower percentage of
college-educated citizens, the unemployment rate of young people is lower than it is in the
United States. Specifically, in 2012 the unemployment rate for Germans aged 24 and younger,
was 8.1%, which was half of the 16.2% youth employment rate in the United States at this time
(Lazaryan et al., 2014). The justification for this was the transition between academics and
vocation by means of a dual system, which merges schooling with workplace training that is
funded by employers (Lazaryan et al., 2014). These studies contributed to the notion that
powerful forces of globalization and technological advances have forced organizations to
APPRENTICESHIPS 22
reconsider how they nurture talent while building skills. The United States has the opportunity to
achieve growth with return on investment in apprenticeship programs, as other countries have
made great strides in this area.
In order to improve the preparedness of the workforce, it would be advantageous for
companies to invest in apprenticeship programs. Lerman (2014) conducted a study of past and
current apprenticeship in the United States to illustrate the effectiveness of apprenticeships in the
workforce. Lerman determined that apprenticeship programs prepared workers to be productive
in their vocation by learning the specific needs of their employer. This experience was found to
be so advantageous that it was equivalent to 1 year of community college enrollment (Lerman,
2014). Regardless of the changing economy, the nature of apprenticeship programs has not
changed drastically (U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration
Office of the Chief Economist, 2017). The process involves a student or prospective employee
entering a structured training experience that consists of traditional classroom learning and on-
the-job training that is supervised by a leader or a mentor (U.S. Department of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Administration Office of the Chief Economist, 2017). The benefits,
however, are clear, with some 91% of apprentices progressing to find employment after finishing
their programs, with an average salary starting at $60,000 (U.S. Department of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Administration Office of the Chief Economist, 2017). As other
countries have established skill-building programs to advance their middle-skill workforce, the
United States is now seeking to mirror this effort by partnering with global companies. Thus far,
the United States has made unprecedented advancement in expanding apprenticeship programs
to develop a skilled workforce.
APPRENTICESHIPS 23
Investing in Apprenticeship Programs
The strength of the economy depends on people entering into the workforce by job
creation or filling the millions of job vacancies. The intergenerational transmission of skill and
more generally of “knowledge how” has been central to functioning of all economies since the
emergence of agriculture (De la Croix, Deoepke, & Mokyr, 2018). A vital mechanism through
which skills were transferred is apprenticeships, a relation linking a skill to a taught trade (Clare
& Rene, 2001). Apprenticeships were found to help meet the demand for intermediate-level
STEM skills, while offering potentially wage return for individuals who completed them, and
productivity gains to employers (Gambin & Hogarth, 2016). The benefits to employers who
trained STEM apprentices include avoiding skill shortage and obtaining a fit between the content
of training and the need of the business. Those trained in occupations with more specific skill
sets were most likely stay in their initial trade or move to a profession within the same sector
(Lerman, 2017). Employers were especially prone to invest in an apprentice with the most
specific skill sets (Geel & Backes-Gellner, 2011). The overall rate of return to each year of
apprenticeships ranged from 8-12% for training in firms of 50 workers or more and about 5.5%-
6.5% for firms of two to 49 workers (Clare & Rene, 2001).
The dual work-based and instruction-based apprenticeship programs offer a way of
dealing with inequality of a middle-skill worker in STEM industries. Apprenticeships are taking
hold and are able to succeed in regulated labor markets (Muehlemann, Pfeifer, & Walden, 2010).
Despite the benefits that may be offered by an apprenticeship, implementing the actual
apprenticeship program may be challenging. The success in developing and sustaining a major
role for apprenticeships may assist employers in their quest for a well-trained, productive, and
adaptable work force (Lerman, 2017).
APPRENTICESHIPS 24
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences
Clark and Estes’ (2008) conceptual framework was used to understand a systematic
process that identified gaps between an organization’s goals and the results of the stakeholders’
actions in reaching this goal. In this section of the study, the researcher examines knowledge,
skills, motivation, and organizational influences when analyzing contributors to performance
gaps. In order to understand why it is important to analyze gaps in knowledge, motivation, and
organizations, Clark and Estes provided a metaphor comparing people to cars. According to this
perspective, knowledge is equivalent to a car’s engine, just as the operating structure is
comparable to the maritime apprenticeship program. The battery energizes a car, just as
motivation is what stimulates people to maintain momentum to meet stakeholder goals.
Organizational factors represent road conditions, which can present barriers to adequate work
processes that make it easier or more difficult to achieve the organizational goal. Table 2
provides a summary of the knowledge, motivation, and organization factors that influence the
organization.
Knowledge and Skills
The assumed knowledge influences determine the factors that individuals require to
accomplish tasks by evaluating the stakeholder through the lens of factual, conceptual,
procedural or metacognitive knowledge (Krathwohl, 2002; Rueda, 2011). In this section, the
researcher focuses on the stakeholders’ knowledge and skill-related influences specific to factual
knowledge of the organizational goal and procedural knowledge of how to achieve this goal.
Identifying specific knowledge and skills are required to achieve performance goals; conversely,
organizations that fail to adequately identify knowledge and skills can experience performance
deficiencies in areas of productivity and morale (Clark & Estes, 2008; Grossman & Salas, 2011).
APPRENTICESHIPS 25
Declarative knowledge influences. Declarative knowledge includes factual knowledge,
understanding of basic terminology, and conceptual knowledge, which includes connecting
patterns and relationships (Clark & Estes, 2008). In order to establish a maritime apprentice
program in the state of California, the JAC needed to understand the registered apprenticeship
guidelines governed by the U.S. Labor Department and California State Apprenticeship
Standards as it relates to protecting the safety and welfare of apprentices, equal opportunity plans
to prevent discrimination and establishment of joint union-employer partnerships. Organizations
supporting linked learning programs and legislators focusing on career pathway initiatives must
align the skill requirements of respective industries with training programs (Bhardwaj &
Pazavar, 2014). Identifying and incorporating specific knowledge and skill training into
management initiative focuses, defines, and provides organizational context for workers’
engagement and goal execution (Vaiman, Sullion, & Caollings, 2012). In other words,
organizations are devoting attention to understanding the skills required for their workers and
investing in training programs that teach prospective or current workers the desired skills.
Procedural knowledge influences. Procedural knowledge builds on factual and
conceptual knowledge. This type of knowledge is actionable, as it is knowledge of how to
perform an action (Krathwohl, 2002). To be able to institute apprenticeship program policies,
develop training curriculums and appoint certified instructors. The JAC needed to know how to
implement and assess successful strategies. Different people can have very different perceptions
of problems and solutions, even when they share the same work goal (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Insight as to the “why” of the task is key to the development of an apprenticeship program,
collaboration with education institutes, and the establishment of relationships with the labor
workforce and employers.
APPRENTICESHIPS 26
Apprenticeship programs are not developed in silos; they must involve stakeholders,
educators, and policymakers to ensure their effectiveness and implementation (Darche, Nayer, &
Bracco, 2009). A key influencer of the development of apprenticeship programs are the
strategies first developed by stakeholders, followed by benchmarks that communicate and
support other best processes. The declarative and procedural knowledge influence of the JAC
represents a vigorous learning process during which the stakeholders not only emulate, but also
adapt and adjust, their knowledge and skills to fit the needs of the maritime industry.
Motivation Influence
Motivation is the necessary catalyst that individuals need to actively use and apply their
knowledge (Mayer, 2011). In this section, the researcher focuses on motivation-related
influences that were pertinent to achieving the stakeholder goal by November 2018 to develop a
2-year maritime apprenticeship program aligned with education institutes, labor workers, and
maritime industry partners. Motivation is an internal behavioral state that facilitates the
completion of goals (Mayer, 2011). There are four factors that influence motivation: (a) personal
and team confidence; (b) individual beliefs in the organization and its ability to achieve goals; (c)
the emotional factor in the workplace, and (d) how much individuals and the team value their
performance goals (Clark & Estes, 2008). The key to maintaining motivation is based on how
well the organization communicates its purpose, vision, and mission, and sets expectations of
individual or team goals. The objective is to implement positive motivational influences to
increase confidence, trust, collaboration, positive emotions, and values about work (Clark &
Estes, 2008). To understand the impact of motivation on the Joint Committee, the researcher
analyzed the influence of the attribution theory and utility value.
APPRENTICESHIPS 27
Attribution theory provides a way to understand motivation by examining individual
beliefs about why certain events occur and correlating those beliefs to subsequent motivation
(Anderman & Anderman, 2006). In this process, the PMIU inserted their influence on the JAC
by defining the specific skill gap they were targeting, which, in turn, influences the JAC
development of the curriculum design and hands-on training program. The other side of the
PMIU’s involvement is that it limited the scalability of the apprenticeship program and
interactions with labor. Stakeholders need to strike a balance between choices when cooperating
with unions on apprenticeships (Lerman, 2013). Overall, the attribution theory influences
motivation and subsequent actions or interactions (Anderman & Anderman, 2006; Rueda, 2011).
Utility focuses on the benefits of completing a task, rather than the enjoyment of the task
itself. Much of what one does is chosen not because one loves it or excels at it, but because one
wants the benefit that comes when one finishes a given task (Clark & Estes, 2008). The JAC may
not like the tasks that are related to the stakeholders’ goal, but if they perceive the goal as useful
to their intrinsic goals, they will support the motivation needed to build and achieve the goal.
Attitudes affect behavior and have a significant positive effect on the perceived utility value of
behavior (Kruglanski, Jasko, Chernikova, & Milyavsky, 2015). It can be a challenge to get every
stakeholder to collaborate; therefore, chances of success are greatest when the JAC can start
from a position of common interest and opportunities when their perceptions of the program’s
utility value align with the stakeholders’ goal. If there is a particular task that aligns with a
person’s self-image, partaking in a volunteer program associated with one’s job to improve one’s
reputation will have a positive attainment value to the individual (Wigfield, Eccles, Schiefele,
Roeser, & Davis-Kean, 2006). For example, this person may not have wished to partake in the
volunteer program, but he did wish to improve his standing with the company in hopes of
APPRENTICESHIPS 28
earning a raise. This dynamic refers to the attainment value, which is the link between a task and
the individual’s role or interest (Wigfield et al., 2006).
Organizational Influences
In addition to knowledge and motivation influences, another contributing factor to
performance gaps is organization influences. In this section, the researcher focuses on
organizational influences that are critical to achieving the stakeholders’ goal. Creating a
productive organizational culture is like building blocks; where there is experimentation with
new approaches, there is systematic problem-solving and consistent knowledge transfer (Garvin,
1993). The culture represents the interactions of shared beliefs with organizational policies and
processes that form over an extended period of time (Clark & Estes, 2008; Rueda, 2011). In
many ways, an organization’s culture is the most important influence on a given work process
because it dictates how stakeholders work together to achieve a goal.
Culture can be considered an organization’s personality, where the development of trust
among the stakeholders can influence the culture and positively or negatively affect the success
of the apprenticeship program (Gurwitz & Steinberg, 2014). Issues from organizational
influences have been found to contribute to knowledge gaps, motivational gaps, and performance
problems (Rueda, 2011). Although stakeholders may have the necessary knowledge to perform
their tasks and may be highly motivated, when organizational barriers exist, stakeholders will not
meet their performance goals (Clark & Estes, 2008; Rueda, 2011). In the educational setting,
there may be more barriers to ensuring alignment between employers’ on-the-job training as it
relates to classroom-based instruction (Olinsky & Ayeres, 2014).
Culture models and settings. Cultural models are common sets of schemas that describe
how people believe that the world works, or how they believe the world should work. Cultural
APPRENTICESHIPS 29
settings, in contrast, are visible facets of individual behavior (Rueda, 2011). The PMIU has had a
tremendous influence on the development of the apprenticeship program training structure,
which may challenge the JAC’s relationship with education institute partners. Ineffective and
inefficient organizational processes often create organizational barriers to achieving performance
goals (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Table 2
KMO Influences for a Modified Gap Analysis
Organization Mission
To maintain, train and equip union members, as the union works toward the collective
economic and cultural betterment of its membership
Performance Goal
By January 2019, establish a technology-driven apprentice program
to meet the demand of the maritime industry standards for skilled workers

Knowledge

Motivation

Organization

Assumed
influences on
performance
goals

1. Declarative
knowledge:
The JAC need
knowledge of federal-
and state-registered
apprenticeship
standards and grant
requirements
2. Procedural
knowledge:
The JAC need to
know how to
implement strategies
and practices of
providing classroom
instruction align with
on-the-job training
1. Attribution Theory:
The JAC need to
know the
establishment of the
apprenticeship
program will have
an impact on the
maritime industry
2. Utility Value:
The JAC needs to
understand the
importance to
meeting their
performance goal as
it relates to the
organization goal
1. Cultural Model:
The JAC need to
understand their
ability to maintain
the apprenticeships
program goals
2. Cultural Setting:
The JAC needs to
encourage policy
practices that
inspire trust and
transparency
reflected by
instructors and
workplace mentors

Conceptual Framework
Conceptual frameworks categorize and describe the concepts that are relative to a study
and connect the relationships among them (Rocco & Plakhotnik, 2009). Constructing a
APPRENTICESHIPS 30
conceptual framework provides a roadmap of what a researcher plans to study and addresses why
the theories are being investigated (Maxwell, 2013). Maxwell asserted that theoretical or
empirical literature review alone should not be considered a conceptual framework of study. In
fact, a conceptual framework is a body of work that a researcher develops, not something that
already exists. Both the literature review and the conceptual framework of a study build a
foundation to advance existing knowledge, conceptualize the study, and explain the research
design and instrumentation to provide a reference point for interpreting the findings (Merriam &
Simpson, 2000). The idea is to incorporate models that a researcher could use in an investigation
and develop at length (Becker, 2007).
Figure 1 depicts the relationship between the organization, the stakeholder group, and
organization’s goal to launch the maritime apprentice program. The JAC stakeholders’
knowledge and motivation are identified in the oval blue circles embedded in the larger blue
circle, which represents the influencing factors of the PMIU organization, to help link prior
knowledge to new knowledge to form meaning (Mayer, 2011). The square outside of the larger
square illustrates the organization’s desired goal to establish the first maritime-registered
apprenticeship program through the CDAS. The center of the nonconcentric circle nested inside
the larger organization circle shows how the stakeholder knowledge and motivation interact with
the maritime apprenticeship program and engage with the organizational goal, connecting the
rules of social order to leadership to create the organization’s culture and foundation (Schein,
2010).
APPRENTICESHIPS 31

Figure 1. Conceptual framework: Interactions between the organization, stakeholder group, and
organizational goal

Data Collection and Instrumentation
The researcher performed both quantitative and qualitative data collection to provide
insight into knowledge skills and motivation that influence technical organizations to invest in
establishing apprenticeship programs as a hybrid to build a steady pipeline of STEM skill
workers. The first method chosen to gather and analyze quantitative data was surveying the JAC
members concerning their perceptions of building the foundation of a program that will yield
apprentice industry leaders. Researchers gather quantitative data to examine cause-and-effect
relationships between variables (Creswell, 2014). The researcher used information from the
surveys to bring more structure to the interview questions for the qualitative study (Creswell,
2014). The second method chosen to answer research questions was interview protocols. In-
person, semi-structured interviews provided a framework for purposeful conversations that the
researcher used to capture, interpret, and understand any programs of practice from a perspective
Motivation of JAC
Ø Understand the
establishment of the
apprenticeship program will
have an impact on the
maritime industry
Ø Understand the importance
to meeting their
performance goal as it
relates to the organization
goal
Knowledge of JAC
Ø Knowledge of federal-and
state-registered
apprenticeship standards
and grant requirements
Ø Knowledge of how to
implement strategies and
practices of providing
classroom
Pacific Mariners Inland Union
To maintain, train and equip union members, as the
union works toward the collective economic and
cultural betterment of its membership
Pacific Mariners Inland Union Goal
Establish the first maritime-registered apprenticeship program through
the California State Division of Apprenticeship Standards by January
2019
Maritime
Apprenticeship
Program
APPRENTICESHIPS 32
that is unique and specific to each individual (Merriam & Tisdell, 2014). The interview questions
are specific events and actions, rather than questions that could lead to generalized responses
(Weiss, 1994). The researcher validated all interview questions by conducting a pilot interview
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2014). The transcribed interviews were scheduled for 45 minutes to ensure
that the data collection included components of both the conceptual framework and qualitative
analysis (Patton, 2002). After all data collection and analysis was complete, participants were
contacted to ensure the accurate representation of their voice (Patton, 2002). This process allows
the researcher to determine whether methods with different strengths and limitations all support a
single conclusion (Maxwell, 2013).
Surveys
Given the various locations of the stakeholders, access to the survey was provided to
members who volunteer to participate. Distributing the survey to the population allowed
inferences to be made about some characteristics, attitudes, or behaviors of this population
(Creswell, 2014). Nominal and ordinal questions were used to analyze the percentage and
frequency of the responses (Salkind, 2017). These scales of measurement provided useful data to
measure the understanding of organization opportunities and barriers to reaching the stakeholder
goal. The survey included multiple-choice questions as Fink (2013) recommended, maintaining
that they are more efficient and reliable. The survey’s reliability and validity was tested by pilot
testing the survey instrument on a sample group of five education and maritime industry leaders
(see Appendix A). The survey was confidential, and all responses were collected anonymously
and tabulated via an automated data collection tool. A back-up copy was created and secured on
a password-protected laptop.
APPRENTICESHIPS 33
Interview
The researcher asked the survey respondents whether they were willing to volunteer to
participate in an interview. Individual interviews were conducted in a reserved meeting room at
the apprenticeship classroom training facility. Access to conduct interviews was coordinated
with the JAC Director and personal communications. Each interview was organized in the same
semi-structured format, in which questions were asked in the same sequence to all interviewees.
The interviews began with general open-ended questions to expand upon the participants’
knowledge, skills, motivation, and the organization’s assumed related queries before probing for
elaboration of perceptions, decision-making criteria, and biases. Notes were carefully taken and
later summarized. The open-ended questions allowed the respondents to express themselves in
their own words (Fink, 2013). All interviews were recorded after the participants reviewed and
signed the consent form; upon completion, each interview was professionally transcribed and
analyzed. Recording emergent insights of data collection are components of both fieldwork and
qualitative analysis (Patton, 2002). Any unclear sections were revisited with participants in order
to provide further clarity. In order to ensure validity, the researcher conducted member checking,
which enabled the participants to review and validate their responses in the transcriptions. This
approach reduced the potential for researcher bias.
Limitations
In this section, the researcher addresses the uncontrollable factors that created limitations
in the design of this study. There were three major limitations that either restricted or influenced
the current study’s methodology. The first was limiting the sample to one STEM industry JAC.
In order to broaden the scope and enrich this study, researchers could perform an examination of
other STEM industry JACs of registered apprentice programs. The second limitation was time to
APPRENTICESHIPS 34
collect, organize, and analyze the data. Additional time would allow a researcher to collect
additional quantitative and qualitative data sources, examine existing or new information, and
provide possible alternative lenses and perspectives to the study. Finally, it was possible that the
members of the JAC responded to the survey and interview questions in a way that they
perceived to be professionally expected. Although the survey was anonymous, JAC members
may have been concerned that their personal responses would be identified.
Results and Findings
In this section, the researcher presents the findings within the KMO framework for the
assessment and potential validation assumptions of organization challenges in establishing a
STEM industry apprenticeship program. The analysis approach is consistent with the
recommendations of Creswell (2014), who suggested the use of mixing quantitative and
qualitative strands of questions is an innovative form to provide decision-makers with more
actionable information. As a result, themes emerged in this study in relation to the JAC
members’ knowledge, motivation, and PMIU organizational influences to achieve the goal. As
such, the following research questions guided the study:
1. To what extent is the JAC meeting its goal in establishing a maritime apprentice
program in Southern California?
2. What are the JAC knowledge and motivation influences in developing and
implementing the apprentice program?
3. What are the recommended organizational practice in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources in a STEM industry to train a steady pipeline of middle-
skill workers?
Demographic Profile of the Participants
The participants of this study were JAC members. Table 3 illustrates the participants’
APPRENTICESHIPS 35
demographics, years of experience, professional sector, union status, and the duration of their
time on the committee. From a total of 15 members, there were six participants in the education
and government sectors, who have roles and experience with grant writing, grant sponsorship,
curriculum development, and alignment with state and federal requirements. The remaining
seven participants have experience in the maritime industry as instructors, business, and labor
union leaders. Industry Instructor applies to instructors in a specific industry, while Education
Sponsor refers to individuals working in higher education institutions. The sampling criteria for
the survey and interview participants can be found in Appendix A.
Table 3
JAC Member Survey Participants

Gender
Years in
respective
industry
Sector
Are you a
union
member?
Months on the
JAC

Male Over 20 years Education Sponsor No 36

Male Over 20 years Education Sponsor No 36

Female Over 20 years Education Sponsor No 18

Female 15-20 Education Sponsor No 18

Male 15-20 Education Sponsor No 24

Male 15-20 Government No 36

Male 15-20 Maritime Industry Leader Yes 24

Male 15-20 Maritime Industry Leader Yes 24

Male Over 20 years Maritime Industry Leader Yes 24

Male Over 20 years Industry Instructor Yes 36

Male Over 20 years Industry Instructor Yes 36

Male 15-20 Labor Union Leader Yes 24

Male Over 20 years Labor Union Leader Yes 36

Male Over 20 years Labor Union Leader Yes 36

Male 15-20 Labor Union Leader Yes 12

The following section provides the results and findings for the two research questions.
For research question 1, one main theme emerged: goal achievement. Under research question 1,
APPRENTICESHIPS 36
participants described the challenges that they experienced working towards a common goal
relative to their respective role on the JAC in the process of developing the apprenticeship
program. For research question two, declarative and procedural knowledge, motivation, and
organization influences emerged as themes as to determine whether the JAC know “how, what,
& why” to achieve their performance goals.
Results and Findings for Research Question 1
The first research question regarded to what extent is the JAC meeting its goal in
establishing a maritime apprenticeship program in Southern California and what are the JAC
knowledge and motivation influences in developing and implementing the apprenticeship
program. The main theme that emerged was goal achievement. The relationship between PMIU’s
organization goal and decision-making is two factors that surfaced from the data. All participants
shared their experiences regarding how the JAC decision-making approach differed in the
deliberations of goal achievement. All JAC members wanted to achieve the goals of the
organization, but all members had different decision-making processes. It was clear that the JAC
members understood the organization’s goals and their purpose; however, they all had different
decision-making processes. Further, the act of decision-making lends itself to the type of culture
that was evolving. “We had the end in mind with each decision, the end being establishing a
program that resulted in skilled apprentices,” an education sponsor noted. An industry instructor
echoed, “The results of the decisions the JAC make would improve the preparedness of the
workforce with safety at the forefront.”
Another issue that emerged in the data was the alignment of the organization and union
labor members’ buy-in. While the JAC members understood the goals of the organization, they
experienced difficulty in convincing the union labor members, which is very important as these
APPRENTICESHIPS 37
members would provide the platform the apprentice program. The director of the apprenticeship
program stated, “It was extremely difficult to translate how a skilled apprentice will address the
skill gap issue without disturbing the current union training practices, relationship building had
to occur among JAC members.” This observation is supported by the findings of Bhardwaj and
Pazaver (2014), who found that the maritime industry is isolated with highly specialized jobs.
As a result, this caused the maritime trainers to become self-sufficient and reluctant to accept
outside assistance. It took four months for all participants to align on goals that maintain
transparency and protocols without competing goals between the apprenticeship program and
union collective bargained agreements. Once regular meetings were established, the instructional
training facility was built, and public communication of the apprentice program purpose. It was
repeated in each interview that there was less jurisdiction protection. In fact, all JAC members
began to extend their support to meet the organizational goal from their respective industry
sectors.
Although all participants were clear on how their role on the JAC would contribute to the
success of the program, there were perceptions that education sponsorship leaders and the
organization have competing interests. For instance, an education leader interviewee reported,
My main responsibility is to guide the JAC in their strategic planning while maintaining
the integrity of the grant guidelines. I think it was a distraction at times when the
organization was not flexible when there was a difference of opinion in approach to
strategy planning, it often took longer to make decisions until common ground was met.
As a result, a priority agenda was created and folding those priorities into the decision-
making process was done to meet key objectives. People differ in their perceptions of problems
APPRENTICESHIPS 38
and developing solutions, as Clark and Estes (2008) suggested, even a shared goal does not serve
to unite stakeholders’ perceptions.
As the January 2019 goal deadline nears, one other factor is at the forefront: how the
remaining grant funding will sustain the program beyond the goal date. All members interviewed
pointed out that one of the main components of the program is sustainability. One way to ensure
the success of the apprentice program would be to make it available for years to come.
The director of the organization stated, “The grant is the lifeline and we are on the last two legs
of the grant, only 40% remains.” Based on the interviews, a grant extension has been filed and is
pending approval. Based on the outcome of the extension, the JAC will be forced to reset its
goals of adding apprentices in phases based on funding availability.
Figures 2 and 3 highlight the survey questions and corresponding sample responses for
this section. Figure 2 indicates that JAC members understand organization goal and purpose of
the JAC. Figure 3 reveals JAC members’ perceptions that their role contributes to the success of
the apprenticeship program. These two figures show information that the members of the JAC
are focused with goal achievement. The participants know the goal and purpose and know that
they contribute to the goal achievement of the participants.

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Agree Somewhat agree Strongly agree
Number of Respondents
I understand the organization goal and purpose of the JAC, n=15
APPRENTICESHIPS 39
Figure 2. JAC members’ self-reporting of organization goal and purpose

Figure 3. JAC members’ self-reporting of their role relative to the program
From the interviews and survey questionnaire, the JAC members understood the goals
and purpose of the JAC. One of the challenges was that the members have different decision-
making processes. Another challenge was the needed alignment between the goals of the
organization and union member’s buy-in. The JAC members also perceived that their role
contributes directly to the success of the apprenticeship program. However, there was also an
issue that the industry sectors have competing interests. To address the competing interests, a
priority agenda was created.
Results and Findings for Research Question 2
As the researcher addressed in review of the literature, this study included declarative and
procedural knowledge, motivation, and organization influences as it relates to whether the JAC
know “how, what, & why” to achieve their performance goals. In this section, the researcher will
present the data collected regarding the JAC’s ability to structure a sustainable apprenticeship
program to develop maritime apprentices to address the skill gap issue in Los Angeles/Long
Beach Harbor.
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Agree Somewhat agree Strongly agree
Number of Respondents
My role contributes directly to the success of the
apprenticeship program, n=15
APPRENTICESHIPS 40
Declarative and Procedural Knowledge
Declarative knowledge includes factual and conceptual information that is necessary for
individuals to be familiar with a subject or discipline; in contrast, procedural knowledge provides
individuals with the information needed to perform tasks (Krathwohl, 2002). The JAC members’
knowledge of an apprenticeship program prior to joining the JAC depended on their specific
sector; this, in turn, influenced their suggested approach and execution to set objectives. In the
following sections, the researcher will review how declarative and procedural knowledge themes
came into view as part of the study. Table 4 and Figure 4 provide sample responses from the
participants to support the findings.
Table 4

JAC Members’ Verbatim Responses to Knowledge of a Maritime Apprenticeship Prior to Joining
the JAC
Sector Understanding
Industry
Instructor
“I knew the apprenticeship program would be an avenue for individuals
who weren’t necessarily considering this as a career or didn’t know how
to get started in the industry. I did not know the model would work, if the
unions in the harbor would buy-into the program.”

Education

“I had general knowledge that there are tugboats, big rig equipment and
technology but, actually what they did, I had very little knowledge about
that kind of industry.

Industry

“My supervisor in San Diego handed this off to me saying, “this is
something the company can find valuable and told me to look into it”.

Government

“We’ve been wanted to start an apprenticeship program in this harbor for
over 15 years. I did not know specifics until the grant proposal was
submitted.”

Labor Union

“I knew the intent of the apprenticeship program was to train individuals,
earn as you learn. I was not sure how it works but I was looking forward
to making it work because to get in the industry it is more who you know
than what you know.”

APPRENTICESHIPS 41

Figure 4. JAC members’ self-reporting of the value of an apprenticeship program
Table 4 provides verbatim responses of some of the JAC members based on each industry about
their knowledge of maritime apprenticeship, while Figure 4 reveals participant perception that a
maritime apprenticeship program will add value to the LA/Long Beach Harbor.
JAC knowledge of a maritime apprenticeship program. Of the 15 JAC members that
the researcher interviewed, none reported having working knowledge of what a maritime
apprenticeship entailed prior to joining the JAC. Nine members who work in the industry had no
connection with any type of apprenticeship program. Their responses indicated that they related
apprenticeship to construction or electrical trade. For example, when describing an
apprenticeship program, one labor member stated, “I felt it mostly had to do with buildings and
trades. I thought that they're the only ones with programs, like the painters non technology
driven.” All industry and labor participants’ knowledge of an apprenticeship program was based
on preconceived notions outside of their industry. All nine reported, however, that they can see
the value in the concept of an apprenticeship program in LA/Long Beach Harbor. In particular,
industry leaders’ lens widened once the technology simulators were up and running in the
15
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Yes
No
Number of Respondents
I believe a maritme apprenticeship program will add
value to the LA/Long Beach Harbor, n=15
APPRENTICESHIPS 42
training center. Immediately, the on-the-job training and in-class instruction had a visual talking
point to incorporate work-based learning into a structured program. The six members in the
education and government sectors had extensive experience working on other apprenticeship
joint committees, although none understood what it would take to establish a maritime
apprenticeship model. One sponsor participant in education noted, “I virtually knew nothing
about it, I had to learn. In general, I understood the maritime industry, did I know the details?
Hell no.”
Current apprenticeship training differs significantly from the past approaches.
Misconceptions about what to include and expect are understandable. According to the JAC
members, the technological teaching tools provided insights to a world of new possibilities. This
is supported by Bhardwaj and Pazaver (2014) who discussed the constructivist approach of
problem solving embedded in a practical situation. Getting to know and implementing
technology-based teaching tools allowed the JAC participants to increase their knowledge of
maritime apprenticeship.
Given the members’ lack of conceptual knowledge of a maritime apprenticeship, there
was a big learning curve for the JAC. One education sector participant noted, “The formation of
the JAC became extremely important as we gain knowledge of the role of PMIU and what the
maritime do in detail. The regular meetings allowed us to hash out preconceive ideas and work
for the common goal.” Another instructor echoed, “Because we came from different sides of the
coin, the meetings created transparency from left to right, even when we did not agree, at least
we’re at the table together.”
Model and structure. The JAC had full discretion of how the program can be structured.
When asked to describe the level of collaboration during the development of the curriculum and
APPRENTICESHIPS 43
the on-the-job training model, the responses consistently indicated that it was challenging.
Apprenticeship programs have to be negotiated with different stakeholders, such as industry
leaders, educators, and policymakers, to ensure their effectiveness and implementation (Darche,
Nayer, & Bracco, 2009). An education sponsor noted, “This apprenticeship program did not fit
the typical model.” District Q took ownership of the development of the curriculum with a
PMIU-heavy influence. One challenge they faced was the Coast Guard’s rules, regulations, and
required curriculum approvals. A labor union leader stated, “It was a barrier—get the Coast
Guard approvals, the Merchant mariner and our industry is regulated by the Coast Guard.” An
industry leader echoed, “Coast Guard requirements and regulations are necessity for safety not
skill set.” Despite limited procedural knowledge, participants reported that there was immediate
agreement that the program should be 24 months for each apprentice. All participants perceived
that the regulations and approvals would lead to a better structured curriculum that identified
certified instructors and each apprentice graduating with Coast Guard certifications. More than
half of the participants reported that this barrier with the Coast Guard triggered a better working
relationship with the organization. The key takeaway was better communication with the
organization and sponsors, increased knowledge of procedures, and collaborative efforts in the
development of the classroom instruction and the on-the-job training model.
While all the members do not have a working knowledge of what a maritime
apprenticeship entailed prior to joining the JAC, they do acknowledge the benefits of the
apprentice program. Due to the lack of knowledge, the JAC members must experience a big
learning curve. With the apprentice program ongoing, the JAC members acknowledged the need
for increased knowledge, especially with the procedures.
APPRENTICESHIPS 44
Motivation Influences
Motivation is a controllable component that is shaped by sociocultural, environmental,
and internal factors (Clark & Estes, 2008). The researcher identified during the interviews, the
motivation challenges through the three-facet model of motivation performance—active choice,
persistence, and mental effort—during the interviews. Assumed motivation influences were
grouped in themes of industry employers’ buy-in and graduate apprentices working in the
industry. The employers’ motivation was perceived as an attribution barrier: Harbor companies
perceived that the apprentice program was a barrier to meeting their goals. The graduates’
motivation was influenced by the utility value of the apprenticeship program.
Attribution. All participants reported that harbor companies’ buy-in to the apprentice
program is an attribution barrier to the organization meeting its goal. A union leader noted,
The limitation I see currently is the lack of participating employers in this harbor. Even
though it seems like the tide is turning, companies see the value in cost effectiveness but,
I don’t think they see the value of the immediate impact of an apprentice.
Participants from all sectors recognized that this barrier was not necessarily directed at
the practices of the JAC but indicated that most companies are not motivated with a “let’s see
how this works” approach to an apprentice program. In a way, this impacted the motivation of
the JAC members in a negative manner because they felt that the participants from all sectors
were not fully invested in their program. This reluctance of the harbor employers to support the
apprenticeship program is in contrast with the findings of Bhar (2014) and Vaiman et al. (2012),
who reported that companies supported training programs that are focused on their specific
industry. Based from the data, issues with interpreting the impact of companies waiting on the
outcome included (a) depleting grant funding to sustain the program and (b) the integrity of the
APPRENTICESHIPS 45
program by confirming industry jobs for the first cohort of graduating apprentices.
While the participants in the education sector were less aware of the LA/Long Beach
union company’s demographics, politics, and practices, they acknowledged that the challenge
was not only getting companies to commit to hiring a graduating apprentice, but also identifying
journeymen who are willing to train apprentices on-the-job. When asked about the key
component of developing an apprentice, one industry leader stated, “Getting the guys who are
already working, our journeymen, our deck hands and engineers to their end of the training will
be a key component to the success of the apprenticeship program.” Ten participants in the
industry, labor union, instructor, and education sectors strongly felt that an experienced
journeyman would hesitate to take on an apprentice to train due to the fear of losing their job to
such a skilled apprentice. One participant noted, “There will be blow back from some of the
journeymen. I see it coming. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s something we have to prepare
for and watch.” Another industry leader shared,
Because of the industry skill gap issue some of the problem is we’ve had a number
turning point guys who’ve come through who have been truly awful and their learning
curve was long and hard. And so, for them to have apprentices come in, they’re going to
have to get pass their own experience to open up the skill transfer so other can learn.
Other JAC participants cited that coaching and guidance are important factors that will help
bridge the performance gap between an experienced journeyman and a developing apprentice.
Both education and instruction leaders pointed out that partnerships with companies, monitoring
the progress of classroom instruction, and ensuring on-the-job training as it relates to Coast
Guard certification requirements are key updates that the JAC members need to include in
monthly meetings in order to better understand where to make necessary adjustments.
APPRENTICESHIPS 46
Utility value. Utility value is much of the benefit that comes from meeting a goal (Clark
& Estes, 2008). In this study, all participants reported that the greatest impact of the JAC
performance is that apprentices being placed in jobs upon graduation from the program, as well
as that the model of the PMIU apprentice program has been duplicated in other locations. This
finding is supported by Geel and Backes (2011), who found that employers prefer to invest in
apprentices who have developed a specific skill set. Being linked to the success of an apprentice
was more important than having their ideas fully supported by the organization. A core reason
that a company commits to this program is to have access to the essential technical and safety
skills of an apprentice. One industry leader stressed during the interview,
To be a part of developing an apprentice in a Southern California structured training
program and watch his/her on board to a new job and grow, I think will surprise other
companies enough to come to me and to learn how they get involved.
From an educator lens, the program is perceived as an opportunity to build a pipeline of
apprentices that can lean in the real world and make an easier transition into the workforce. An
education leader explained,
The program would be a stepping stone to a skilled worker were companies would say;
we want to have an apprentice from that program, I want to look back and be a part of the
competitive between companies who gets the best apprentices. At that point, it would be
best practices of the JAC for the common good of the representation of the program.
This sentiment expressed is in agreement with the utility concept of Clarke and Estes
(2008), who pointed out that the benefits of completing a task could outweigh the enjoyment
thereof.
APPRENTICESHIPS 47
All participants pointed out that there is growing interest in the program because the
training facility was built with a simulator. Simulator technology is especially useful when
having to negotiate safety measures, that are for instance prescribed by the Coast Guard (Seo et
al., 2011). It allows learners to make and reflect on mistakes in a safe environment which in turn
instils trust in the employer that the apprentice is appropriately trained in safety. Participants’
willingness to be persistent at working towards the organization’s goals was notable.

Figure 5. JAC members’ self-reporting of ideas supported

Figure 6. JAC members’ self-reporting of motivation relative to goal
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Agree Somewhat agree Strongly agree
Number of Responses
I feel my ideas are supported by the JAC
n=15
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Strongly disagree Somewhat
disagree
Agree Somewhat agree Strongly agree Number of Responses
I am motivated by the organization goal
n=15
APPRENTICESHIPS 48
Figures 5 and 6 highlight the survey questions and corresponding sample responses for
this section. Figure 5 indicates that JAC members feel supported because of their ideas. Figure 6
shows data indicating how JAC members are motivated because of an organizational goal.
These two figures present data about the perceptions of JAC members regarding motivation.
The motivation of the JAC members was to make the apprenticeship program a success.
However, they experienced difficulties with the attribution and utility-value aspect of the
program. Participants from all sectors were hesitant to participate and fully invest in the
apprentice program that somehow affected the motivation of the JAC members. In terms of the
utility value, even though participants from all sectors have some doubts about the program, the
JAC members’ motivation were influenced by the success of the apprentice and the fact that it
has been replicated in other locations.
Organization Influences
A byproduct of an organization culture is its climate, which is reflected and displayed
through the interactions of the group and with external groups (Schein, 2010). Identifying gaps
within the organization requires accessing how things work relative to the performance goal.
Two consistent themes that the participants cited as influencing the cultural model and settings
were unionization and nepotism.
Cultural model. Union-formed apprentice programs are not uncommon; however, the
distinct element of PMIU is that it represents inland marine companies that follow different
significant protocols. The protocol pertains to the governing laws of the Jones Act, which
protects professional American mariners on U.S. vessels in U.S. waters. When asked about the
limitations to developing the program, all participants shared their initial learning curve
experiences in understanding the formation of the apprentice program, including a joint effort
APPRENTICESHIPS 49
relative to PMIU current hiring process through the union hall. The participant industry leaders
pointed out that more company organizations need to buy-in to the apprentice program, which
will change how the industry future workforce is trained in the harbor. Seven of the 10
interviewees recommended that the model include a shared belief of processes and procedures.
Although there was a general sense that the program was moving forward, one participant in the
education sector stated,
It was hard to see the progress at first, usually most industry employers negotiate as one,
whereas in this case, every company has different negotiations and that was a little
strange for us because we are not use to that model.
Another participant stated,
PMIU played a key role during this process, when the JAC was formed with members
from different sectors everyone came to the table with set expectations of what the
apprentice program model should look like. Once everyone understood from a macro
point of view the different companies’ protocols, we were able to move forward with
building the program.
This phase took three months to get everyone in alignment. To maintain the participants’
interest, there were monthly meetings and one-on-one meetings with the organization leader,
which were initiated by members in the education sector. Given that the tasks were time-
sensitive per grant requirements, there was a continuous pressure to provide structure to the
program. One industry instructor shared,
We all had to get on the same page in terms of the level of value aligning with all union
protocols will have. When the JAC meetings were scheduled on a regular there after
APPRENTICESHIPS 50
every barrier faced in those initial meetings allowed us to build relationships and navigate
the committee through other decision-making processes.
In order to sustain the program, all JAC members shared a key dependency of employers’
buy-in to the apprentice program. These initial growing pains provided a pathway to develop
skilled apprentices who can become advocates of the program that will feed back into the current
unionization system.
Cultural settings. To build on the momentum of building the structure of the program,
one objective of the JAC was developing a process for apprentice selection. Addressing issues of
nepotism and the skill gap were common themes with education, industry, and labor union
leaders when asked what impact the maritime apprenticeship program will have on the industry
and labor organization. One industry leader noted,
Nepotism plays big role in this harbor and industry. It manifests on the basis of this is a
small knit community, the problem this lends to is the industry pool of workers dwindle
over the years to ‘who you know, not what you know.
The formation of a joint committee of professionals across different sectors brought a diverse
lens to the development of processes. All participants reported that it was essential for the
selection process to be transparent, objective, and most importantly inclusive. When asked how
they worked together to resolve this issue, all participants shared the experience of complete
collaboration efforts from all sectors.
When defining the target characteristics of the first apprentice cohort, there was much
concern with addressing the skill gap issue. One industry instructor painted a clear picture to
explain why the JAC should be specific in defining an apprentice, stating,
APPRENTICESHIPS 51
20 years ago, you could literally walk off the street on to vessel and not have any
experience. The 1989 incident of Exxon Valdez oil spill and incidents that followed
became a pivotal point in changing the work culture of the industry. This is when the skill
gap widened over time with the domino effect of regulations after the disaster. In
defining the apprentice selection process, we must target individuals with the basic
problem solving skills that can be developed to obtain the required Coast Guard
certification.
Figure 7 highlights the survey question and corresponding sample responses for this
section. It shows that the JAC members agree that they work together to resolve issues.

Figure 7. JAC members’ self-reporting of working together
Summary of Results and Findings
In sum, regarding declarative knowledge—over 50% of the respondents did not know how a
mariner’s apprentice program should be established when they first joined the JAC. After
participating in developing the apprenticeship program, all respondents developed a clear
understanding of their roles in relation to the gals of the organization. Procedural knowledge that
had to be acquired by the participants was the Coast Guard requirements which played a main
role in developing the curriculum and on-the-job training. In terms of motivation, two aspects
0
2
4
6
8
10
Strongly disagree Somewhat
disagree
Agree Somewhat agree Strongly agree
Number of Responses
The JAC work together to drive issues to resolution n=15
APPRENTICESHIPS 52
need to be mentioned, namely (1) the buy-in to the program and (2) placement of apprentices.
Regarding the buy-in to the program participants emphasized the need to get buy-in of employers
as well as experienced journeymen which they considered to be the backbone in sustaining the
program. Although some growing pains could be foreseen in placing the first apprentices, the
participants were confident that the quality of the apprentices would be sufficient advertisement
for the program and that they would be able to manage any potential difficulties of the initial
apprentice placements. On the organizational side, the two aspects that must be kept in mind are
unionization and the apprentice selection process. Pertaining to unionization it is important to
keep track and include the protocols and governing laws of the marine companies in the harbor
in the program development process. Nepotism was mentioned as a factor in selecting
apprentices, while this should be avoided the aim should be on addressing the skill gap when
selecting apprentices. Comparing results from the survey and interviews has some variance
because participants answered surveys with desirable responses. Through interviews participants
was able to illustrate issues and the researcher was able to get more real data that identified some
of the issues. Table 5 provides a summary of the results and findings.
Table 5
Results and Findings Summary
Knowledge Motivation Organization
Declarative knowledge:
More than half of the
respondents were unaware
how to establish a mariner’s
apprentice program prior to
joining the JAC.
All of the respondents
understood their role relative
to organizational goal

Buy-in to the program:
There was a great awareness
of the importance to get
employers and experienced
journeymen buy-in to the
program was key to sustain
the program.

Unionization:
The protocols and governing
laws from all marine
companies in the harbor
became important factor in
developing the program

APPRENTICESHIPS 53
Procedural knowledge:
The Coast Guard
requirements were a main
source of information in
developing the curriculum
and on-the-job-training
Apprentice Placement:
JAC members was not
opposed to the growing pains
if it resulted in being a part of
the first structured mariner
training program in the
LA/Long Beach Harbor and
placement of apprentices
Selection process:
Nepotism and the skill gap
were the main issues
addressed in developing the
apprentice selection process

Discussion of the Findings in Relation to the Literature
Knowledge consists of declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge. Accurate
knowledge of what is required linked with an individual’s adequate appraisal of existing
knowledge and skills is needed to prevent them experiencing performance deficiencies in areas
of productivity and morale (Clark & Estes, 2008; Grossman & Salas, 2011). The JAC
participants’ appraisal of their declarative knowledge of maritime training requirements seemed
accurate albeit not ideal. Therefore, a steep learning curve was needed for all participants to
become conversant in the particular curriculum needs and to establish mutual understanding. In
tandem with the lack of marine-specific knowledge, the procedural knowledge of the participants
did not include an accurate appreciation of the centrality of the role of the Coastal Guard. Seeing
that procedural knowledge represents actional knowledge that empowers the individual to know
what and how to do something (Krathwohl, 2002), this lack of knowledge was an initial barrier
to the progress of the organization. The declarative and procedural knowledge influence of the
JAC represented a vigorous learning process, during which the stakeholders not only emulate,
but also adapt and adjust knowledge and skills to fit the needs of the maritime industry.
Motivation was described by Mayer (2011) as the catalyst needed by individuals to
actively use and apply to their knowledge. Two crucial motivational themes surfaced from the
analysis of which the first one was the lack of buy-in of the harbor employers. It is not clear why
this sentiment exists among the harbor employers since apprenticeships are actually aimed to
APPRENTICESHIPS 54
help meeting the demand for intermediate-level STEM skills. Simultaneously it offers potential
wage return for those apprentices who completed the program, and productivity gains to
employers (Gambin & Hogarth, 2016). Graduates working in the industry would equip them
with knowledge to better apply their skills and know how the industry works. In addition,
employees trained in specific skills tend to remain longer at the same job which reduces the need
for recruitment and upskilling of new employees (Lerman, 2017). In other employment areas,
employers were keen to invest in apprentices who have specific skill sets (Geel & Backes, 2011).
The finding that harbor employers do not give their buy-in to the apprentice program is therefore
in contrast with extant literature. In the same vein, the expressed concern that it might not be
possible to find journeymen who are willing to impart their expertise to apprentices, was not a
tendency found in the literature. This factor should be addressed in future research.
A strong organizational influence that surfaced from the data analysis is the union
influences. It became evident that developing the program could not happen without taking due
consideration of the protocols and governing laws from all marine companies in the harbor. As
such, the marine companies developed a culture of shared beliefs that are linked with the policies
and processes that formed over an extended period of time. Stein (2004) explained culture in
terms of an organization’s personality. The development of trust among the stakeholders can
influence the culture and can have a positive or negative influence on the success of the
apprenticeship program. It was therefore essential that the program development process took the
maritime culture and regulations into consideration and establish a trust relationship with the
marine companies at the harbor. This relationship might not be well established, gauging from
the lack of buy-in from the harbor companies.
APPRENTICESHIPS 55
Another aspect of the harbor companies’ culture is the recruitment and hiring process
which was described as nepotism by the participants. Addressing the nepotism might prove
difficult as it became part of the maritime organizational culture. This issue is supported by
Rueda’s (2011) description of how an individual (or group) believe the world works. The JAC
stakeholders realized the need for establishing criteria, based on STEM skills needed, for
recruiting apprentices. Although one might find nepotism in different employment situations, it
was not a theme that became evident during the literature review. This finding might be more
prominent in the maritime industry and as such warrants further investigation.
Recommendations for Practice
The researcher used the New World Kirkpatrick Model to evaluate the four levels and
add new elements to help identify options to effectively implement PMIU. By design, this
approach provides flexibility and an interactive framework that allows appropriate changes to
happen as new information is discovered (Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell, 2014). In this
section, the researcher answers the following final research question of recommendations for
practice in order to address the knowledge, motivation, and organization influences and gaps that
the researcher identified in previous sections. Figures 6-8 are the summary tables for the
knowledge, motivation, and organization recommendations.
Final research question: What are the recommended organizational practice in the areas
of knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources in a STEM industry to train a steady
pipeline of middle-skill workers?
Knowledge Recommendations
Introduction. The assumed knowledge influences in Table 2 frames two knowledge
types of Bloom’s Taxonomy (Krathwohl, 2002): declarative (i.e., JAC knowledge of registered
apprentice program) and procedural (i.e. how the JAC develop process and procedures).
APPRENTICESHIPS 56
Supported by the literature review, survey, and interview data collected, Table 6 illustrates the
recommendations of knowledge influences.
Table 6
Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Knowledge
Influence
Validated?
Yes, No,
Partially (Y,
N, P)

Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
The JAC need knowledge
of federal and state
registered apprenticeship
requirements
(D).
P Declarative
knowledge includes
factual knowledge,
understanding of
basic terminology,
and conceptual
knowledge, which
includes connecting
patterns and
relationships (Clark
& Estes, 2008).
Provide a job aid
with key links,
terms, and
required
supporting
documents that
outlines policies,
key milestones
with deadlines of
grant
requirements, and
California State
Standards for an
registered
apprentice
program.
The JAC need to know
how to implement
strategies and practices of
providing classroom
instruction align with on-
the-job training (P).
P Different people can
have very different
perceptions of
problems and
solutions even when
they share the same
work goal (Clark &
Estes, 2008).
Provide job aid
that compares the
details and
provides the steps
for in classroom
instruction and
expected
outcomes of on
the job training.
Note. *Indicates knowledge type for each influence listed using these abbreviations:
(D)eclarative; (P)rocedural.

APPRENTICESHIPS 57
Motivation Recommendations
Introduction. The JAC needs to know the impacts of the establishment of the
apprenticeship program on the maritime industry. The researcher’s recommendation is to provide
an apprentice development roadmap that demonstrates the positive impacts of an apprentices
from instructional classroom training to on-the-job development to a skilled worker over a 2-year
period. The researcher recommends mapping out key influences and outcomes relative to
bridging the skill gap in the maritime industry.
The key to maintain motivation is based on how well the organization communicates the
purpose, vision, mission, and set expectations of individual or team goals. The objective is to
implement positive, motivational influences to increase confidence, trust, collaboration, positive
emotions, and values about work (Clark & Estes, 2008). To understand the impact of motivation
on the JAC, the researcher analyzed the influence of the attainment. Motivation was the
necessary catalyst that individuals needed to actively use and apply to their knowledge (Mayer,
2011). Motivation is an internal behavioral state that facilitates the completion of goals (Mayer,
2011). Table 7 identifies the factors that influence motivation.
Table 7
Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Motivation
Influence

Validated
Yes, No,
Partially
(Y, N, P)

Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
APPRENTICESHIPS 58
The Joint
Apprenticeship
Committee need to
know the impacts of
the apprenticeship
program in the
maritime industry.
(Attribution)

Y Attribution is guided
by one’s constant drive
to answer questions
related to “why” and
“how” the response to
the cause and affect
influences motivation
and subsequent actions
or interactions
(Anderman &
Anderman, 2006;
Rueda, 2011).

Provide an apprentice
development roadmap
that answers why and
how questions to
demonstrate the positive
impacts of an
apprenticeship from
instructional classroom
training to on-the-job
development to a skilled
worker
The Joint
Apprenticeship
Committee needs to
understand the
importance to
meeting their
performance goal as
it relates to the
organization goal
(Utility-Value).

Y Utility value refers to
the link between a task
and an individual’s
image of who they are
in terms of personality,
capabilities, goals,
roles, values, and
interests (Wigfield et
al., 2006).
Provide a project plan to
include major milestones,
tasks, defined roles and
responsibilities with
status relative to all
deliverables that
demonstrate the
accomplishments
resulting from detail
planning of the
establishment of the
apprenticeship program.

Attribution. The JAC needs to know the impacts of the apprenticeship program in the
maritime industry. Attribution is guided by one’s constant drive to answer questions related to
“why” and “how” the response to the cause and affect influences motivation and subsequent
actions or interactions (Anderman & Anderman, 2006; Rueda, 2011). The committee should
provide answers to the questions of the different participants from all industries to be able to
increase their buy-in with the program. The recommendation is to provide an apprentice
development roadmap that answers why and how questions to demonstrate the positive impacts
of an apprenticeship from instructional classroom training to on-the-job development to a skilled
worker.
APPRENTICESHIPS 59
Utility value. The JAC needs to understand the importance of meeting their performance
goal as it relates to the organization goal. Utility value refers to the link between a task and an
individual’s image of who he or she is terms of personality, capabilities, goals, roles, values, and
interests (Wigfield et al., 2006). If a task aligns with a person’s self-image, that task will have
positive attainment value to the individual (Wigfield et al., 2006). The importance that the Joint
Apprenticeship Committee places on development of the maritime apprenticeship program tasks,
such as policies, protocols, and curriculums, will influence their desire to engage in those tasks.
The recommendation is to provide a project plan including major milestones, tasks, defined
roles, and responsibilities with status relative to all deliverables.
People’s choice of achievement tasks influences their persistence in those tasks, vigor in
carrying them out, and performance (Eccles, Wigfield, & Schiefele, 1998; Pintrich & Schunk,
1996). It can be a challenge to get every stakeholder to collaborate; therefore, chances of success
are greatest when the Joint Committee can start from a position of common interests and
opportunities where their perception of the utility value is aligned with the stakeholders’ goal. If
there is a particular task that aligns with a person’s self-image, the task will have a positive
attainment value to the individual (Wigfield et al., 2006). For example, an employee may not
have wished to partake in the volunteer program, but he did aim to improve his standing with the
company in hopes of earning a raise. This dynamic refers to the attainment value, which is the
link between a task and the individual’s role or interest (Wigfield et al., 2006).
Organization Recommendations
Introduction. In addition to knowledge and motivation influences, another contributing
factor to performance gaps is organization influences. In this section, the researcher focuses on
organizational influences that are critical to achieving the stakeholders’ goal. Creating a
APPRENTICESHIPS 60
productive organizational culture is like building blocks; where there is experimentation with
new approaches, there is systematic problem-solving and consistent knowledge transfer (Garvin,
1993). The culture represents the interactions of shared beliefs with organizational policies and
processes that form over an extended period of time (Clark & Estes, 2008; Rueda, 2011). In
many ways, an organization’s culture is the most important influence on a given work process
because it dictates how stakeholders work together to achieve a goal.
In the past, stakeholders may have had the necessary knowledge to perform their tasks
and may have been highly motivated; however, if organizational barriers existed, the
stakeholders did not meet their performance goals (Clark & Estes, 2008; Rueda, 2011). In the
educational setting, there may be more barriers to ensuring alignment between employers’ on-
the-job training as it relates to classroom-based instruction (Olinsky & Ayeres, 2014). Table 8
provides a summary of organization influences and recommendations.
Table 8
Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations
Assumed
Organization
Influence

Validated
Yes, No,
Partially (Y,
N, P)

Principle and
Citation

Context-Specific
Recommendation
Cultural Setting:
The Joint
Apprenticeship
Committee need to
understand the
importance of
effective
communication to
maintain the
apprenticeships
program

Y Effective leaders
know how to build
strong
communication
skills among
members of an
organization in order
to build capacity.
(Fix & Sias, 2006)

Schedule regular
meetings with cross
industry stakeholders
for review of training,
curriculums, and
apprentice
development as
apprenticeship
program evolves.

APPRENTICESHIPS 61
Cultural Model:
The Joint
Apprenticeship
Committee needs to
encourage policy
practices that
inspire trust and
transparency
reflected by
instructors and
workplace mentors.
Y The culture
represents the
interactions of
shared beliefs with
organizational
policies and
processes that form
over an extended
period of time
(Clark & Estes,
2008; Rueda, 2011)
Build trust by
establishing meetings
with staff and
apprentices to
communicate the
vision, mission, goals,
and individual
accomplishments.

Cultural Setting
The Joint Apprenticeship Committee meets monthly, which lends itself to gaps in
communication on the apprenticeship program’s current status, decision changes, and
accomplishments. The JAC members have different decision-making approaches, which is why
communication about the goals and decisions of the committee must be effective in order for the
JAC to achieve its goal. Effective leaders know how to build strong communication skills among
members of an organization in order to build capacity (Fix & Sias, 2006). Clark and Estes (2008)
suggested that the informational and corrective feedback components of communication help
people adjust the knowledge and skills that they use to accomplish objectives. Because
communication is important, it is necessary to facilitate both regular and off-schedule meetings
with cross-industry stakeholders in order to review the decisions of on-the-job-training,
curriculums, and apprentice development as an apprenticeship program evolves.
Stakeholders who are engaged have a greater understanding of organizational goals,
increased feelings of appreciation and positive work-identity, and work harder at connecting and
cooperating with their coworkers (Jeffrey, 2009). An organization can positively influence these
engagement efforts by exhibiting characteristics of honesty, fairness, transparency, and
communication, as well as ensuring opportunities exist for training and development and human
APPRENTICESHIPS 62
resource support (Wang & Hseih, 2013). When the culture of an organization is aligned and
supported by its interacting policies and processes, the organization may achieve greater
prosperity and successfully obtain its objectives (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Culture Model
The Joint Apprenticeship Committee needs to encourage policy practices that inspire
trust and transparency to be reflected by instructors and workplace mentors. The culture
represents the interactions of shared beliefs with organizational policies and processes that form
over an extended period of time (Clark & Estes, 2008; Rueda, 2011). The researcher’s next
recommendation is to build trust by establishing meetings with staff and apprentices in order to
communicate the vision, mission, goals, and individual accomplishments. Building trust would
improve the culture model of the JAC, and it could contribute to the success of the program.
Trust within any organization is a binding element that connects and inspires stakeholders
with the goals, values, and processes of the organization. An absence of trust was found to
influence disengagement, and dissatisfaction, and reduce cooperative effort (Bolman & Deal,
2013; Wang & Hseih, 2013). The development of trust may be impacted by the influence of
organizations development of policies. An organization, therefore, can positively or negatively
influence this trust through actions or inactions of efforts regarding conflict resolution and
efficacy, team building and cooperation, and self-management (Korsgaard, Brodt, & Whitener,
2002). One of the most significant organizational factors influencing employees’ trust is the
encounters they have with all stakeholders (Schneider, Brief, & Guzzo, 1996).
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Framework
The Kirkpatrick model aids in analysis and evaluation of the results of a training
program. It allows both informal or formal training to determine the approach based on four level
APPRENTICESHIPS 63
criteria (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2006). The four levels in reverse during the planning phase
constitute the framework of evaluation for this study and help maintain focus on what is
important: the program outcome that is accomplished through on-the-job performance training
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2006). Levels four to one provide a structure that does not require
extensive time to implement (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2006).
Organizational Purpose, Need, and Expectations
The mission of Pacific Mariners Inland Union is to maintain, train, and equip union
members as the union works toward the collective economic and cultural betterment of its
membership. The organization goal is to establish the first maritime-registered apprenticeship
program through the California State Division of Apprenticeship Standards by December 2018 to
address the STEM skill gap crisis facing the 21st-century workforce in the United States.
The goal of the JAC is to foster partnerships to invest resources and develop an
apprenticeship program that meets the demand for highly skilled STEM workers. After a period
of two years working in an apprenticeship role, one should have developed the skill set needed to
effectively perform the responsibilities of their positions. Effective planning and the
development of relationships are vital to the success of the JAC in meeting its goal.
To meet the industry demand for highly skilled workers, JAC is redefining how they are
investing in an education to workforce development program. The country’s economic
competitiveness relies on a highly skilled workforce, and it is crucial for all stakeholders to
remain committed to re-shaping Americans modern workforce. Failure to maintain skilled and
diverse talent to meet future technological, economic, and social growth trends may have an
adverse effect on the organization’s ability to accomplish its goal. The proposed solution is an
APPRENTICESHIPS 64
instructional training and on-the-job structured learning program to increase the number of U.S.
middle-skilled workers to support STEM industry organizations.
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators
Table 9 shows the proposed Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators in the form of
outcomes, metrics, and methods for both external and internal outcomes for JAC. If the internal
outcomes are met as a result of the training and organizational support for the Maritime
Apprenticeship Program, then the external outcomes should also be realized.
Table 9
Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes
Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
Increase the number of
skilled workers in the
maritime industry.
The number of available skilled
maritime skilled workers by
2020.
Solicit yearly data from United
States Department of Labor
Employment and Training
Administration
Increase the number of
STEM Industries
apprenticeship programs
The number of apprenticeship
programs available in
STEM industries by 2020.
Solicit yearly data from the
U.S. Censor Bureau of
Economics (BEA)
Internal Outcomes
JAC Identifies the first
California Maritime
Apprentice cohort
The number of apprentice
applicants
Collect and evaluate apprentice
candidate data against defined
criteria
JAC Maintains alignment
of classroom instruction
with on-the-job-training
Increase in/number of Quiz and
certification results
Establish regular meetings with
classroom instructors and on-
the-job journeymen

Level 3: Behavior
Critical behaviors. The JAC focus is to invest resources to develop apprentices that meet
the demand for a highly skilled worker in the Maritime Industry. The first critical behavior is to
identify required Coast Guard certifications to graduate from the apprenticeship program. The
second critical behavior is that they continually review apprentices’ progression toward
APPRENTICESHIPS 65
completion of each instructional course and on-the-job training module. The third critical
behavior is to identify training gaps before Coast Guard certification deadlines. the specific
metrics, methods, and timing for each of these outcomes behaviors appears in Table 10.
Table 10
Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation
Critical Behavior Metric(s) Method(s) Timing
1. JAC Identifies
required Coast Guard
certifications to
graduate from the
apprenticeship
program
The number of
certified courses
The Program Director
tracks certifications
against Coast Guard
quarterly regulation
report

1. Every quarter
2. JAC Reviews
apprentice
progression for
completion of each
instructional course
and on-the-job
training modules.
The number of
completed courses
each semester
Instructor shall track
and report apprentice’s
academic status
2. Every semester
3. JAC Identifies
training gaps before
Coast Guard
certification
deadlines

The number of
corrections made by
instructor or program
director
The Program Director
tracks the number of
safety violations during
the on-the job training
phase
3. Daily

Required drivers. The Apprenticeship Director requires the support of classroom
instructors and on-the-job training mentors to reinforce the guidelines and encourage an agreed
upon cadence of reporting. Rewards should be established for the achievement of performance
goals to enhance the organizational support of new reviewers. Table 11 shows the recommended
drivers to support critical behaviors of new reviewers.
Table 11
Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors
APPRENTICESHIPS 66

Method(s)

Timing
Critical Behaviors Supported
1, 2, 3 Etc.
Reinforcing
Job aid that compares the
details and provides the steps
for in classroom instruction
and expected outcomes of on
the job training

quarterly 1, 2, 3
Program meeting to evaluate
for program adjustments
monthly 1, 2, 3
Encouraging
Collaboration with other
apprenticeship programs
quarterly 1, 2, 3
Provide an apprentice
development roadmap that
answers why and how
questions to demonstrate the
positive impacts of an
apprenticeship from
instructional classroom
training to on-the-job
development to a skilled
worker
quarterly 1, 2, 3
Rewarding
Performance incentives when
safety rates are maintained
from on-the-job training
quarterly 1, 2, 3
Public acknowledgement
such as publication of
program progress in State
Apprenticeship Commission
Newsletter
quarterly 1, 2, 3
Monitoring
Build trust by establishing
meetings with staff and
apprentices to communicate
the vision, mission, goals,
and individual
accomplishments.
bi-monthly 1, 2, 3
Establish an apprentice
feedback forum
mid and end of semester 1, 2, 3
Schedule regular meetings
with cross industry
stakeholders for review of
training, curriculums, and
bi-monthly 1, 2, 3
APPRENTICESHIPS 67
apprentice development as
apprenticeship program
evolves.

Organizational support. The support of PMIU is needed to oversee the operations of the
apprenticeship program as outlined in the grant and alignment with policies, curriculums, and
training modules developed by JAC. To guide the JAC, PMIU must maintain emphasis on the
“why” of the goal and its importance to the organization by setting up a regular cadence of
meetings to ensure there is constant communication, provide feedback on the progression of
plans, and establish a way to celebrate along the way by focusing on the good that will come
when the goal is met.
Level 2: Learning
Learning goals. After completion of the recommended solutions, JAC will be able to:
1. Apply federal and state registered apprenticeship standards requirements per federal grant
guidelines. (P)
2. Know how to implement strategies and practices of providing classroom instruction
aligned with on-the-job training (P)
3. Recognize the impact of the apprenticeship program in the maritime industry. (D)
4. Recognize the importance to meeting their performance goal as it relates to the
organization goal. (Attainment-Value)
5. Value effective communication to maintain the apprenticeships program (Value)
6. Implement policy practices that inspire trust and transparency reflected by instructors and
workplace mentors. (Metacognition)
Program. The learning goals listed in the previous section are achieved with a training
program that provides structured learning techniques and reporting to keep the apprenticeship
APPRENTICESHIPS 68
program on track. The guidelines are customized to meet the specific needs of JAC. Bi-monthly
meetings with apprenticeship instructors, mentors, and industry leaders should focus on general
knowledge, strengthening understanding of core competencies, and increasing overall program
productivity of developing apprentices.
During the bi-quarterly meetings, learners are provided a job aid of key links, terms, and
required supporting documents that outlines policies, key milestones with deadlines of grant
requirements, and California State Standards for a registered apprenticeship program, along with
a job aid that compares the details and provides the steps for in classroom instruction and
expected outcomes of on the job training. Following the meetings, all participants will be given
the opportunity to provide feedback from meeting, peer review, and review by the Program
Director. The feedback approach will also be used to inform JAC for strategic planning of the
program.
Evaluation of the components of learning. Declarative knowledge includes procedural
knowledge understanding of basic terminology, connecting patterns, and relationships (Clark &
Estes, 2008). Thus, it is important to evaluate learning for both declarative and procedural
knowledge being taught. It is also important that learners value the training as a prerequisite to
using their newly learned knowledge and skills on the job. However, they must also be confident
that they can succeed in applying their knowledge and skills and be committed to using them on
the job. As such, Table 12 lists the evaluation methods and timing for these components of
learning.
Table 12
Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program
Method(s) or Activity(ies) Timing
Declarative Knowledge “I know it.”
APPRENTICESHIPS 69
Knowledge checks through discussions, “pair,
think, share” and other individual/group
activities.

During meeting
Demo of use of job aids to successfully
perform
During meetings
Quality of feedback from peers During and after meetings
Procedural Skills “I can do it right now.”
Retrospective pre and post bi-quarterly
meetings
After meetings
Create individual action plan During meetings
Attitude “I believe this is worthwhile.”
Discussion of value of what they are being
asked
During meetings
Confidence “I think I can do it on the job.”
Retrospective pre and post bi-quarterly
meetings
After meetings
Commitment “I will do it on the job.”
Retrospective pre and post bi-quarterly
meetings
After meetings
Create action plan During meetings
Discussion of risks and dependencies During meetings

Level 1: Reaction
According to Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2006), the Level 1 reaction phase includes
formative and summative assessments that allow a deeper understanding of stakeholder
perceptions related to the effectiveness and relevance of learning programs within an
organization. The reaction phase provides organizations with the ability to effectively evaluate
their current learning models. Table 13 indicates how stakeholders react to learning event(s).
Table 13
Components to Measure Reactions to the Program
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Engagement
Meeting agenda At beginning of meeting
Approval of meeting minutes During meeting
Ask meaningful questions During meeting
APPRENTICESHIPS 70
Review of old business and new business
topics
During meeting
Relevance
Review program status During meeting
Read-out of next steps During meeting
Customer Satisfaction
Appointed sergeant of arms who keeps
progression and order of meeting
During meeting
Informal conversations After meeting
Feedback survey After meeting

Evaluation Tools
Immediately following the program implementation. The use of multiple levels being
evaluated simultaneously maximizes evaluation resources and provides the perspective of the
learner’s experience (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2006). During the Joint Apprenticeship
Meetings, the instrument is the agenda to capture engagement and relevance. The agenda shapes
and determines the issue’s importance. The secretary will collect data at the start of and during
the meetings. The data will indicate the engagement of members with the material discussed. At
the end of each meeting, the Director will administer a brief survey requesting the participants to
indicate the relevance of the material to curriculum development, progression of apprentices, and
overall satisfaction with apprenticeship program in current state.
For Level 1, reactions are continuously measured by both the Joint Apprenticeship
Director and Committee Sergeant of Arms, who perform observations and pulse checks during
meetings. In Level 2, knowledge evaluation comes from meeting minutes, ensuring the members
gained a sufficient level of understanding from the previous meeting. Attitude, confidence, and
commitment is evaluated during the meeting and through informal discussions and formal
feedback.
APPRENTICESHIPS 71
Delayed for a period after the program implementation. A retrospective touch point
allows data on success factors and barriers to be collected for program refinement and reporting
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2006). Approximately three weeks after the start of the
apprenticeship program and again six weeks after, the Director will administer a survey
containing open and scaled items using the Blended Evaluation approach to measure, from the
participant’s perspective, satisfaction and relevance of the program (Level 1), confidence and
value of applying their training (Level 2), review process and the support from peers they are
receiving (Level 3), and the extent to which their performance review process has become more
accurate and timely (Level 4).
Data analysis and reporting. The key to meet the organization goal and evolution of the
apprenticeship program is to contain the “signal to noise ratio.” In the current age of information,
the signal-to-noise ratio is high due to the easy access to data (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2006).
Levels 1 and 2 evaluation tools filter out the noise of useless data, so that one is left with just the
signal that assists with making good decisions and identifies pain points and opportunities for
growth. Table 10 and monitor Levels 1 and 2 provide signal related to organization goals.
Eight weeks prior to the apprenticeship program start, the JAC members will be given a
survey every two weeks to evaluate the KMO influences and customer satisfaction. The last two
surveys will provide comparable data with information previously gathered as the program
launch approaches. The data will be analyzed to identify areas for growth (Level 1),
understanding the JAC member’s perspective value (Level 2), application of information to
program tasks outcomes (Level 3), and performance (Level 4).
Summary
The New World Kirkpatrick Model is a guideline to gauge the attitude, confidence, and
commitment of the Joint Apprenticeship Committee members through the change process of
APPRENTICESHIPS 72
developing and initiating a new program. The four levels (i.e., reaction, learning, behavior, and
results) identify a streamlined analysis of the committee members’ knowledge, motivation, and
organization components. The results and application of the model create an effective evaluation
strategy for the program, set committee members’ expectations to drive outcomes, and
demonstrate value to key stakeholders.
Recommendations for Future Research
Given the limitations of this study, several recommendations for future research emerged.
The first recommendation would be to focus on organization influences and performance gaps of
10 joint apprenticeship committees across different U.S. STEM industries. Insight from this
study can expose critical factors that prevent organizations from investing in apprentice
programs. Additional research opportunities exist for a comparison and sustainability study of
U.S. grant funded apprenticeships programs vs. corporate-funded training programs. If growing
the number of apprenticeship programs in the U.S. continue to be at the forefront of the U.S.
Government charter in addressing the skill gap issue, a cost-benefit analysis study across STEM
industries will provide companies leveraging data points of an apprentice net return of
investment.
Conclusion
There is evidence apprenticeships improve worker outcomes and benefits companies,
explaining why many other economic advance countries use them to develop competitive, skilled
workers. By recognizing apprenticeships as a vital training option, it creates a pathway to create
a pool of skilled workers while meeting the needs of tech company’s strategic growth.
The implication of this study is to add a scholarly body of knowledge aimed to address
organizations influences and challenges impacting the 21st century STEM industry workforce.
APPRENTICESHIPS 73
The findings from this study will be useful for the U.S. registered joint apprenticeship
committees to execute strategies aligned with organizational goals. The study may also motivate
other researchers to explore further how U.S. tech companies could become more efficient with
an apprentice’s program.
APPRENTICESHIPS 74
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APPRENTICESHIPS 83
Appendix A: Participating Stakeholders with Sampling Criteria for Surveys and
Interviews
Participating Stakeholders
The participating stakeholders were selected for purposeful and criterion-based sampling
to align with a mixed-methods research approach. The criteria for the sample participating
stakeholders selected for this study is the JAC. The criteria sampling is purposeful to maximize
and enrich the quality and understanding of the meanings, processes and content of the research
phenomenon (Meriam & Tisdell, 2014). To produce inductive and in-depth analysis for this
study, the researcher used surveys and interviews for data collection. The following sections
explain the sampling criteria and rationale for the instruments used for this study.
Survey Sampling Criteria and Rationale
Criterion 1. JAC members who served six months to one year on the committee
comprise the survey sample. This criterion will ensure insight into the meaning underlying the
survey results, from the same perspective of those surveyed (Johnson & Christensen, 2015).
Criterion 2. JAC members-which include individuals that who hold leadership positions
in the maritime industry or education comprised the survey sample. Identified leaders who have
experience with the problem of practice as compared to other stakeholder who may influence the
establishment of the apprenticeship program. The secretary, sergeant of arms, treasurer, and
accountant committee members were not included in sample.
Survey Sampling (Recruitment) Strategy and Rationale
The JAC members were sought to participate in an anonymous survey. While all
stakeholders influence achieving the organization goal, collecting data from 15 members who
have direct organization relationship with the maritime apprenticeship partners have the greatest
potential to yield the most valuable information on the topic. To obtain maximum participation,
APPRENTICESHIPS 84
incentives in the form of gift cards was given to JAC committee members after each interview.
To help set expectations, survey participation was added as an item to the meeting agenda. Time
was allocated for members to complete the survey after the meeting. Those who are not able to
complete the survey in person was sent a link to access the survey. All participants were
informed participation is voluntary and no one will be coerced to complete the survey.
Interview Sampling Criteria and Rationale
Criterion 1. JAC members who completed the survey using the criterion described
above. This criterion ensured insight into the meaning underlying the survey results, from the
same perspective of those surveyed (Johnson & Christensen, 2015).
Criterion 2. JAC members who hold leadership roles in the maritime industry or
education institute described above. Identified leaders who have experience with the problem of
practice as compared to other stakeholder who may influence the establishment of the
apprenticeship program. The secretary, sergeant of arms, treasurer, and accountant committee
members were not included in sample.
Interview Sampling (Recruitment) Strategy and Rationale
Two criteria for the sampling participating to interview are completed provide in-depth
data to explain the initial qualitative survey responses and second is self-section where the 13
JAC members volunteer to participate in an interview (Creswell, 2014). The interview
component of the study is to better under the influences that contribute to the development and
roll out of the PMIU-led Apprentice Program. In qualitative research, interviews focus on the
meaning the research participants make of the problem of practice, versus the researcher’s
perspective or findings from the literature (Creswell, 2014). Interviewees was purposefully
selected and invited to voluntarily participate in the interviews. Purposeful sampling requires the
APPRENTICESHIPS 85
selection of respondents who align with the study purpose and meet specific criteria (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2014).
APPRENTICESHIPS 86
Appendix B: Protocols
Survey Email Invitation
My name is Angela Bland and I am a doctoral candidate in the Rossier School of Education at
the University of California. I am conducting a research study as part of my dissertation,
examining STEM Industries Apprenticeships: Organization influences, Skill gaps and challenges
facing the 21st-century workforce. If you agree, you will be asked at the next committee meeting
(Date) to complete an in person multiple-choice 10-15 minutes’ survey. All responses are
anonymous.
Survey Instructions
Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey. There are no right or wrong answers, your
honest responses will help further the study. All responses are anonymous.
Survey Questions
1. I am:
a) Male
b) Female
2. I have worked in my respective industry for:
a) 1-5 years
b) 6-10 years
c) 15-20 years
d) Over 20 years
3. Are you a union member?
a) Yes
b) No
4. I have worked on the Joint Apprenticeship Committee (JAC) for ___ months.
APPRENTICESHIPS 87
5. What sector do you represent on the committee?
a) Business
b) Education
c) Labor Organization
d) Community
e) Government
6. I understand the goals and purpose of the committee. (K)
a) Strongly disagree
b) Somewhat disagree
c) Agree
d) Somewhat agree
e) Strongly agree
7. I believe the apprenticeship program will add value to the LA/Long Beach Harbor. (M)
a) Yes
b) No
8. My role contributes directly to the success of the apprenticeship program. (O)
a) Strongly disagree
b) Somewhat disagree
c) Agree
d) Somewhat agree
e) Strongly agree
9. The committee works together to drive issues to resolution. (O)
a) Strongly disagree
APPRENTICESHIPS 88
b) Somewhat disagree
c) Agree
d) Somewhat agree
e) Strongly agree
10. I feel responsible for the overall success of the program. (M)
a) Strongly disagree
b) Somewhat disagree
c) Agree
d) Somewhat agree
e) Strongly agree
11. The committee stakeholders communicate effectively. (O)
a) Strongly disagree
b) Somewhat disagree
c) Agree
d) Somewhat agree
e) Strongly agree
12. I feel my ideas are supported by the committee. (M)
a) Never
b) Sometimes
c) Most of the time
d) Always
13. I believe the apprenticeship curriculum and training program will promote industry
leaders thinking and behaviors. (K)
APPRENTICESHIPS 89
a) Yes
b) No
14. I feel an apprentice from the maritime apprentice program can replace my job? (K)
a) Yes
b) No
15. I believe sonority is important to maintain in the industry? (K)
a) Yes
b) No
16. There is a technology skill gap in the industry? (K)
a) Strongly disagree
b) Somewhat disagree
c) Agree
d) Somewhat agree
e) Strongly agree
17. I am motivated by the organization goal. (M)
a) Strongly disagree
b) Somewhat disagree
c) Agree
d) Somewhat agree
e) Strongly agree
18. Based on your experience, how do you think classroom instruction and on-the-job
training influence safety? (K)
a) None
APPRENTICESHIPS 90
b) Somewhat
c) Impactful
19. Technology and safety is a required skill in the LA/Long Beach Maritime Harbor? (K)
a) Yes
b) No
20. What is more important to development of a skill worker in the maritime industry? (K)
a) Classroom instruction
b) On-job-training
c) Both classroom instruction and on-the-job training
21. How much do you agree with the following statement below? I am motivated to be a part
of a program that will build a pipeline of maritime skill workers in Southern California.
(M)
a) Strongly disagree
b) Somewhat disagree
c) Agree
d) Somewhat agree
e) Strongly agree
Are you willing to participate in an interview?
a) Yes
b) No
Survey Wrap-up
Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey. This information will not be shared with
any entity; it is for the use of this study only.
APPRENTICESHIPS 91
Interview Introduction
Participant Name: ______________________________________
Participant Role: _______________________________________
Company Name: _______________________________________
Location of Interview: ___________________________________
Date: _________________________________________________
Time start / Time complete: _______________________________

Thank you for meeting with me today. I am conducting this interview as part of my dissertation
research with my doctoral program at USC, exploring influences of establishing the first
Maritime Apprenticeship Program in the State of California. I anticipate this will take anywhere
from 45 minutes of your time.
Your participation is completely voluntary. We can skip any questions you want and stop the
interview if you want at any time. Any identifiable information obtain in connection with this
study will remain confidential and not share with other committee members. If you are
comfortable with it, I would like to record our conversation and the recording will be destroyed
after transcribing is complete. Do you have any questions? Are you ready to begin?
Interview Questions

1. Can you share with me your perception of the maritime apprenticeship program before
you joined the organization? (K) (RQ2)
2. Do you have a clear understanding in JAC’s role in establishing and apprentice program?
(K) (RQ2)
3. What approach did the organization take to define internal and external stakeholders of
the committee? (O) (RQ1)
4. Who influenced the JAC the most? PMUI? District Q? or CDAS? (M) (RQ2)
5. What influence did labor/union members have? Was it a good or bad thing? (O) (RQ2)
APPRENTICESHIPS 92
6. Based on your specific role on the JAC what was some challenges launching the
program? (K) (RQ2 & 3)
7. Can you tell me your experience with establishing partnerships with industry leaders and
education partners? (K) (RQ2)
8. Can you tell me your understanding of key components of developing the apprenticeship
program? (M) (RQ2)
9. Can you share with me some of the push back the JAC received to get industry
companies to buy-in to an apprentice program in Southern California Harbor? (K) (RQ’s1
& 2)
10. When you look at the evolution of the program from initial meeting to identifying the
first cohort, how do you see your role? (M) (RQ2)
11. Can you tell me your thoughts on the impact of the maritime apprenticeship program will
have on the industry and labor organization? (O) (RQ1)
12. Do you think two years is long enough to develop a skill worker for this industry? (K)(2)
13. What limitations do you see in to establishing this apprenticeship program in this
technology industry? (K) (RQ3)
14. How would you measure the success of the program three years from now? (O) (RQ2)

APPRENTICESHIPS 93
Appendix C: Credibility and Trustworthiness
It is the responsibility of the researcher to produce data and their resulting findings in a
manner that is both creditable and trustworthy (Maxwell, 2013). Data collection instruments
include surveys and interviews to increase the creditability and validity of the study (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2014). This is a powerful strategy for comparing and crosschecking multiple sources
(Patton, 2002). In order to be considered a creditable and trustworthy qualitative study, all
researcher biases positive or negative will be called out. Internal validity, or the accuracy of the
study finding to external environment, is one way to measure the study’s credibility (Maxwell,
2013). Based on the recommendations of Creswell (2014), Maxwell (2013), and Merriam and
Tisdell (2014), the following three strategies were taken to increase credibility in this study: (a)
carefully designing protocol questions that do not infer specific responses from the participants;
(b) identifying and removing any potential relationship or connections that may influence their
response when selecting the participants; and (c) utilizing peer review processes throughout the
study to ensure content soundness.

APPRENTICESHIPS 94
Appendix D: Validity and Reliability
The scale of measurement rules is the foundation of validity and reliability. Reliability is
the consistency of results using a measuring tool (Salkind, 2017). Internal consistency reliability
will be used to correlate each survey item score with the total score (Salkind, 2017). The
administration of the survey will include standardized instructions and all unclear items will be
deleted to lower the possibility of error and increase reliability, as Salkind recommended. In this
study, reliability and validity go hand-in-hand, where validity assesses the relationship with the
purpose and circumstances of the research and reliability and validity of the instrument measures
the outcomes (Merriam & Tisdell, 2014; Salkind, 2017). Reliability and validity design of the
quantitative survey (Appendix A) is reflected in each item mapped to related research questions
and conceptual framework. The survey questions will be reviewed with the researcher’s
chairperson and committee members for validity of knowledge, motivation, and organization
framework and with for apprenticeship expertise with the District Q as a sponsor of the
apprenticeship program. Content validity can be established by reviewing the survey with subject
matter experts (Salkind, 2017).

APPRENTICESHIPS 95
Appendix E: Ethics
As a researcher, it is imperative to ensure that the research questions identify that which
is intended. Particularly, this refers to the identification of organizational challenges to
developing apprenticeship programs as a means of amplifying the STEM pipeline of highly
skilled workers in STEM-related industries nationwide. To this end, it is the researcher’s
responsibility to recognize the participants of this study as a whole and not just as subjects to
disclose information (Tracy, 2013). To this end, it is imperative to protect participants from harm
and to inform them of their right to privacy (Merriam & Tisdell, 2014). All participants will be
provided sufficient information to make the decision to partake in the research, the notion of
informed consent (Glesne, 2011) and are informed of their ability to cease participating in the
study, at any time, without consequences (Rubin & Rubin, 2012).
All of the data that is used in this study is used for research purposes. Participants should,
therefore, be ensued of confidentiality and security of data shared for this study. Survey
responses are collected as will analysis for purposes of this study. All interviews are conducted
in confidence, and shared findings will not be linked to specific participants. All rules and
guidelines are adhered to in this study per the University of Southern California Institute Review
Board (IBR) to ensure the protection and rights of participants.
As an action researcher that is not a member of the organization, the researcher maintains
the role of emphasizing and explaining the sole interest in gathering data of the JAC member’s
perspectives. The focus of action is to find a way to improve actions that STEM driven
organizations can take or wish to address the skill gap facing the 21st-century workforce.
As the researcher gathers and analyzes data, a level of slight bias as a STEM worker in the
United States for more than 20 years will be acknowledge. I am conscious of my thoughts,
opinions and experiences therefore, will take measures to ensure that I will not ask participants
APPRENTICESHIPS 96
leading questions and probes. Rather, ensure questions are worded in such a way that contribute
to the quality of the study by being open ended and specific only to the experiences of the
participants (Patton, 2002). All personal feelings personal data provided by participants will be
recorded for disclosure and analyzed for consideration of impact to the study.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Bland, Angela (author)

Core Title STEM industries apprenticeships: organization influences, skill gaps, and challenges facing the 21st-century workforce: an evaluation study

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Publication Date 03/11/2019

Defense Date 02/28/2019

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag apprentice,apprenticeship,middle skill,middle skill worker,OAI-PMH Harvest,skill gap,STEM industries,United States Apprentice Program

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Datta, Monique (committee chair), Green, Alan (committee member), Murphy, Don (committee member)

Creator Email angdb721@gmail.com,angeladb@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-133698

Unique identifier UC11675677

Identifier etd-BlandAngel-7144.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-133698 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-BlandAngel-7144.pdf

Dmrecord 133698

Document Type Dissertation

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Bland, Angela

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Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

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