Apprenticeships, especially the dual apprenticeship currently is widely recognised and recommended as a potentially effective measure to tackle the problems of structural unemployment, skills mismatches and social exclusion of the different groups of socially disadvantaged people (Saniter, Tutlys, 2012; Euler, 2013; Chisvert, Marhuenda, 2013; Marhuenda, Navas, 2013). Policy makers also seek to apply different measures and instruments of apprenticeships for the vocational integration of the socially disadvantaged youth. As far as the demand of such measures and the pressure of socioeconomic and political environment to apply them is increasing, very often policy makers, experts and stakeholders face the challenge of the lack of know-how and experience in this field and rely on the transfer and application of experiences of other countries. This is particularly noticeable in the countries with the school based initial VET system, where the application of apprenticeships so far has been very fragmentary.  Therefore the aim of the research is to outline the main parameters for the policy learning in the application of the apprenticeship for the vocational integration of socially disadvantaged youth. It is suggested that the main parameters of the application of apprenticeship for the vocational integration are curriculum design, organisation of the training process and institutional support to the application of apprenticeship training. The main research questions are : What kind of approaches for defining vocational competences or learning outcomes are the most suitable for the designing of curricula of apprenticeships applied for the vocational integration? What could be the relevant and suitable structure of propaedeutic curriculum used in apprenticeships? What factors define the effectiveness of the form of apprenticeship (dual apprenticeship, workplace training, alternation between the training institution, simulated work environment and enterprise etc.) in achieving the goals of vocational integration of socially disadvantaged youth? What kind of support and cooperation of social stakeholders is needed for the application of the apprenticeships oriented to the vocational integration goals?

Theoretical framework of research consists of the following theoretical and methodological approaches:

1.Approaches of human capital and social capital theories (Becker, Bourdieu) that help to explain and disclose the roles of vocational practice, competences and training processes for the acquisition of human and social capital leading to the vocational and social integration. 

2. Theoretical approaches of the sociology of knowledge related to the integration of academic and vocational learning (Young, 2008; Graizer, Navas, 2011), theories of action and activity (Clot, 2011) and organisational learning theories (Argyris, 2006;Fabbri, 2008) will be used for the analysis of the potential of apprenticeship to provide the knowledge, skills and competences that enhance personal and professional development of socially disdvantaged youth. Theoretical approach of work process based VET curriculum design will help to explain the advantages of holistic work process orientation to the acquisition and mastering of competences, that facilitate effective and long-term employment and enable further competence development (Spöttl, 2013; Spöttl, Ruth, 2012).

2. Theories of policy borrowing and policy learning in the establishment and development of the initial VET policy instruments, that explain the reasons and rationalisations behind policy borrowing and policy learning approaches, as well as analyse the implications of these approaches to the achievement of the policy goals (Busemeyer, Trampush, 2012; Euler, 2013).

The research is executed in the framework of the Lifelong Learning Programme TOI project "Application of Apprenticeship for the Vocational Integration of Socially Disadvantaged Youth". The results of research are applied for the development of the specific instruments of vocational integration of socially disadvantaged youth, beginning with designing of guidelines for policy makers and ending with development and testing of special apprenticeship curricula.

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