Work-Based Learning
A series of studies have pointed to an increase in work-based learning (Livingstone & Scholtz, 2006; Felstead, Gallie, Green, & Zhou, 2007). Felstead et al. (2007) report on a survey noting that
The proportion strongly agreeing to the statement ‘my job requires that I keep learning new things’ has consistently moved upwards during the 1992-2006 period – rising from 26% in 1992 to 30% in 2001 and then to 35% in 2006.
This may be due to a number of reasons: probably foremost are the pressures of technological change and changing products, work processes and occupational profiles (Guile, 2002). Work-based learning is seen as more efficient and effective and facilitates situated learning. The move towards work-based learning has been accompanied in some countries by a revival in apprenticeship training (see, for example, Learning and Skills Council, 2008). Some industries, for example in computing, have seen the spread of informal mentorship models for work-based learning ‘borrowed’ from traditional craft-based models of training (Hoover, 2009). It has also been accompanied by a spread of the training function (Attwell & Baumgartl, 2008), with increasing numbers of workers taking some responsibility for training as part of their job.