A STUDY OF APPRENTICESHIPS THROUGH THE LENS OF MENTORSHIP: MENTORING FUNCTIONS AND THE MEDIATING INFLUENCE OF COMMITMENT ON INTENTION TO LEAVE

Abstract

In the context of a rapid and massive extension of
salaried apprenticeships, an increasing number of
organizations are confronted with issues regarding
the support and retention of employees that simultaneously carry out their apprenticeships while completing academic programs. Faced with these challenges, apprenticeship supervisors appear as central
actors whose activities can be understood through
the lens of mentorship. using data collected from
young apprentices 6-9 months after their entry into
the professional world, we seek to study the relationships between the mentoring functions performed by apprenticeship supervisors, organizational commitment, and the intention to leave by concentrating on two mechanisms: mediation via commitment and the clarification of values. To this end,
a series of hypotheses are tested using structural
equation modeling. Following this approach, we
formulate specific lines of inquiry concerning the
role(s) that apprenticeship supervisors play, all
while emphasizing their central influence as “role
models” on apprentices’ intention to leave the organization.