Reference year 2019
Understanding of apprenticeships in the national context
Apprenticeships are regulated by the Upper Secondary School Act 92/2008, the Regulation on Workplace Training 840/2011, the Regulation of Occupational Councils no. 711/2009 and (for remuneration) the collective agreements between the social partners.
Apprenticeships are broadly defined as a form of “workplace training” by the Regulation on Workplace Training 840/2011. The regulation does not provide a clear definition, and vernacular use of the term “workplace training” and related terms are often unclear (a case of the jingle-jangle fallacy), sometimes referring to apprenticeship as defined by Cedefop (https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/4117_en.pdf), but sometimes used to refer to short-term work placement within course modules where students receive credit for participation (unpaid). This lack of clear definitions is problematic, and stakeholders are aware of it.
When discussing apprenticeships (starfsmenntun) in the context of vocational education and training (VET), the schemes are numerous and organized within particular sectors (builders, hairdressers, electricians etc.) but all at upper secondary level.
However, there is long tradition within some higher education (tertiary level) professions of work-based training periods, as in health care (doctors, nurses, teachers, etc.). These are never referred to as apprenticeships in the same way as when discussing VET but are a form of apprenticeships.
In this fiche the discussion focuses on apprenticeships at the upper secondary level.
Due to its historical association, Iceland took over the Danish apprenticeship system when a VET system was set up. The first legislation regulating apprenticeship learning was introduced in 1893. About half of all learners in initial vocational education and training (IVET) train as apprentices.