1. Russian Apprenticeships in Comparative Perspective
Prepared by Olga Romanova,
Analyst at the Center for Vocational Education and Training  Institute of Education  National Research University  Higher School Of Economics
Высшая школа экономики, Москва,

2. Targeted Education (TE) - Apprenticeship in Russia
Legal framework
Policies
Article 56 of the Federal Law "On Education in the Russian Federation”
Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation November 27, 2013 No "On the Procedure for Execution and Terminating the Treaty on Target Admission and Targeted Education"
Federal level
Priority project "Education" ( ) in the direction "Training highly qualified specialists and laborers, according to modern standards and advanced technologies“
Examples at the regional level
"Development of vocational education in Kostroma region in “ – by 2019 not less that 45% of VET students at TE.
Strategy of Social and Economic Development of Krasnoyarsk Region – by % of VET students at TE.
Высшая школа экономики, Москва

3. Mainly company-based countries
Austria, Germany, Switzerland: Classic apprenticeship systems
Aspects
Germany
Switzerland
Austria
Underlying legal principles
Vocational Training Act (2012)
Vocational Education Act (2005)
Remuneration
Training employers are obliged to pay apprentices an appropriate so called “training allowances”, an amount which is fixed by the social partners in the different sector collective agreement and are also subject to the trainees age and experience with the enterprise
Legislation does not impose a minimum wage. The salary is decided by the company and the apprentice. In most cases it is based on the recommendations of the branch.
Apprenticeship remuneration is laid down for each individual apprenticeship occupation in collective bargaining agreements. Where no collective bargaining agreements exist, it is necessary to agree on the apprenticeship remuneration in the apprenticeship contract individually. The remuneration increases with every apprenticeship year until, in the final year, it totals an approximate average of 80 % of the corresponding skilled worker’s wage.
Financing of apprenticeship-type schemes
Net costs of the factories total amount of 84% of the total training costs (2007): supported on case-by- case basis through public funding
Share of private expenses for the basic vocational training - approx 43% (2010); industry-specific vocational training funds
Companies (approx ¾ of the overall training costs), supported by public funding)
Legal framework
Enterprise-student/
apprentice
Mainly company-based countries
Высшая школа экономики, Москва

4. Mainly school-based countries
Poland, Slovakia, Spain: Developing apprenticeship systems
Aspects
Slovakia
Spain
Poland
Underlying legal principles
Vocational Education and Training Act (2015)
Vocational Education and Training (2002)
Education System Act (1991)
Remuneration
Remuneration for productive work equals up to 50 % % of the minimum wage
A stipend from a company can reach up to a maximum of four times the subsistence costs
A motivation stipend offered monthly in three levels equaling 65 %, 45 % and 25 % of the
subsistence costs
The new Royal Decree stipulates that the remuneration of workers under contract for training and apprenticeships will be established in a collective agreement and cannot in any case be lower than the interprofessional minimum wage in line with the hours that have been worked
Apprentices may receive some compensation for work/training practices. Students are entitled to receive from their school some reimbursement funds for their travel and living expenses. During vocational training the remuneration cannot be less than 4% of the national monthly average salary.
Financing of apprenticeship-type schemes
Public sector as the main source of financing, both national and European funds (i.e. the ESF) (85%-95%). Private sources (i.e. students and households, private companies’, etc.) contribute to a lesser extent (15%-5%). Usually, the amount of public funding for schools is set according to the number of students.
Legal framework
Enterprise-student/
apprentice
Enterprise- VET school/provider
Mainly school-based countries
Высшая школа экономики, Москва

5. Some specific features of Russian Targeted Training
Only enterprises with the state share in the registered capital and governmental institutions have the right to become a stakeholder of the apprentice scheme (Article 56 (3) of the Federal Law "On Education in the Russian Federation”)
There is not legally entitled guarantees of minimum scholarships, incentive payments, compensation for housing costs, payment for educational services, etc.
The financing scheme includes usage of regional or federal budget (exactly in the same way when students enroll on a traditional, predominantly school-based vocational program).
Высшая школа экономики, Москва

6. Typology of apprenticeship and training contracts in Europe1 2 3
Enterprise
Student/
Apprentice
Enterprise
Student/
Apprentice
Enterprise
VET school/
provider
VET school/
provider
Majority of EU countries:
Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, France, the UK, Slovakia, etc.
Poland,
Spain
Estonia, the Netherlands
Russia
Высшая школа экономики, Москва

7. Obligations after graduation
Slovakia, Russia, Belarus use contracts which oblige students to mandatory employment after graduation
Normally contracts end simultaneously with the completion of the training program.
Slovakia Labor Code § 53 (2)
“An employer for whom a pupil is receiving vocational training may conclude an
agreement with the pupil in a secondary vocational school or vocational training center in which the pupil agrees that after passing his/her final examinations or school-leaving examinations or after completing his/her studies (vocational training) he/she will remain an employee of the employer for a fixed period, at most three years, or reimburse the employer the reasonable expenses that the employer incurred for his/her vocational training in applicable areas or subjects”.
Germany “Vocational Training Act”
Article 12/1
“An agreement, which is limiting the apprentice in his professional activity after the end of the apprenticeship, is null (void)”.
Высшая школа экономики, Москва

8. The Soviet Union Legacy?
Raspredelenie TE
“Raspredelenie”-a system of nationally-administered job allocation in the USSR.
“Regulation on the personal allocation of young professionals graduating from higher education institutions” (1958)
“Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR and the Central Committee of the CPSU On improving the allocation and use of specialists of higher and secondary qualifications” (1978)
Solves the problems of enterprises with labor force recruitment
Provides mandatory employment for graduates
Regulated predominantly by government institutions
Reimbursement of training investment
Student are active participants in decision making on the choice of the future work place
! The TE contract obligations are symmetrical for the enterprise and the student.
Высшая школа экономики, Москва

9. Apprenticeships without pre-employment binding labor contracts
Potential benefits of apprenticeships without pre-employment binding labor contracts are*:
The productive contribution of apprentices to the employer during their period of apprenticeship.
Recruitment of the most productive apprentice graduates as valued employees generates benefits after the end of the apprentice period (long-term benefits).
Employers offering apprenticeships enhance their reputation as they may be seen as contributing to the common good. This may indirectly increase profits if companies are seen as socially responsible, thus, are more likely to sell their products and services (however, these benefits are difficult to measure).
*[Kuczera, M. (2017), “Striking the right balance: Costs and benefits of apprenticeship”, OECD Education Working Papers, No. 153, OECD Publishing, Paris.
Высшая школа экономики, Москва

10. Conclusions
The obligation to employ for a fixed term after graduation of targeted education/training program allows us to find a connection with state intervention mechanisms into the labor market, which are implied in planned economy countries.
It seems to be a particular topic of interest to analyze the transformation and regeneration of the Soviet Union (and other planned economy countries) policies nowadays.
The key interest is the analysis of obligations, which are fixed in contracts and legislative acts governing the relationship between all stakeholders.
Высшая школа экономики, Москва

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