Age, Experience, and Learning on the Job: Age, Experience, and Learning on the Job: Crossing the Boundaries between Training and Workplace IAEVG Conference.

Age, Experience, and Learning on Age, Experience, and Learning on the Job:the Job: Crossing the Boundaries between Training and Workplace

IAEVG Conference 2009: Coherence, Co-operation and Quality in Guidance and Counselling, June 3–5 University of Jyväskylä, Finland Session # 37 Workplace guidanceJussi Onnismaa

University of Helsinki, Palmenia Centre for Continuing Education

Allan Salo:

The tanner

(1958)

“Every worker grows taller when his/her duties match his/her competence.”

- A comment by a

respondent

The case studyThe case study

The existing and aspiring heads, managers and experts

of Huurre Finland Ltd, were offered apprenticeship

training (27 participants, 18-month training) Part of the special vocational qualification in engineering Although based on national qualification criteria, the

apprenticeship training was closely tailored to the needs

of the company A part of the Optio–Adult apprenticeship training project

for over 40-year-old employees: themes of learning and

ageing from the point of view of the individual, workplace

and society

1. What kind of vocational competencies the 1. What kind of vocational competencies the respondents regard as the most urgent in their respondents regard as the most urgent in their work?work?

“In my work, competence is a concept covering technical expertise and social skills.”

“Technical competence can be learned from books, but you either have a way with people or you don’t. You need both, otherwise you can just forget everything.”

Customer service and customer-oriented activities were

considered as the core process, because without them no

business can be successful Conclusion: Service work occurs in a triangulartriangular

relationship of technicians, customers, and machines Machine problems may actually be problems in the social social

relationshiprelationship between customer and the machine

2. What is the meaning of experience and tacit 2. What is the meaning of experience and tacit knowledge in your work? knowledge in your work?

“Older and more experienced guys who’ve been with the company longer have a different attitude to their work. Their levels of motivation are usually much higher.”

Wisdom brought by age is apparent in the way a person

prepares not only for a task but also for different,

alternative eventualities: “An experienced worker has imagination and keeps

his/her eyes and ears open, recognises leads and can read between the lines”

The ability to understand the big picture

Experience and wisdom are especially obvious in

communication and listening skills

3. In what ways the experience and tacit 3. In what ways the experience and tacit knowledge of the senior workers might be knowledge of the senior workers might be transferred to the younger?transferred to the younger?

The respondents: Experienced workers have the best

grasp of processes They may have established relationships with customers

that go back decades The best way to train people is to put experienced and

inexperienced workers together Experienced workers and novices can both give and

receive. Reciprocity builds mutual trust and respect Conclusion: in the traditional master-novice system and

mentoring, insufficient attention is paid to what the

apprentice has to offer

4. Workplace counselling4. Workplace counselling

Background: Rather than being a special activity,

workplace counselling could be routinely interwoven

into the organisational structure During the project, workplace counsellors did not get

the chance to prepare for their new task.

“There should be more time for workplace counselling. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be enough time to spare, and in the end, counselling is neglected.”

Conclusion: The workplace counsellors’ roles, as

well as those of counselees, were ambiguous

Conclusion: Crossing the boundariesConclusion: Crossing the boundaries

On-the-job learning On-the-job learning (OJL):: A central part of the

competence-based qualification system Instead of merely learning by doing OJL is the analysis of

theory and practice activities and sharing of experience

with others Cooperation between educational institute and workplace:

ought to take place at the workplace or in associated

networks Learning on the job: joint activity and boundary objectboundary object of

educational institute and workplace

On-the-job learning as boundary crossingOn-the-job learning as boundary crossing

Huuhka & Saukkonen 2007

Activity system 1Activity system 1 Activity system 2Activity system 2

Personalisation of the studiesPersonalisation of the studies

Taking the students’ learning and guidance needs into

account in the various stages of learning Personal levelPersonal level: Working with the students to assess the

personal meanings of subject matter for the student Community level:Community level: Being personal do not imply

individualism or separation from other students Organisational level:Organisational level: personalisation as a part of an

educational institution’s strategy

References Huuhka, P. and Saukkonen, K. 2007. Interfaces de la formation par contrat

d’apprentissage, coopération entre l’etablissement d’enseignement et l’enterprise. In. T. Seppälä (Ed.). Le contrat d’apprentissage des adultes – comme vecteur de développement de la compétitivité et des compétences dans le monde du travail (pp. 70-89). Helsinki: Université de Helsinki, Palmenia, Centre de formation et le développement

Onnismaa, J. 2008. Age Experience, and Learning on the Job: Crossing the Boundaries between Training and Workplace. Journal of Employment Counseling, 45(2): 79-90.

Onnismaa, J. 2004. Ethics and Professionalism in Counselling. Canadian Journal of Career Development / Revue canadienne de développement de carrière 3(1): 43-48. http://www.contactpoint.ca/cjcd/v3-n1/article6.pdf

Onnismaa, J. 2003. Personal Study Program as a Tool for Career Planning and Personalization of Adult Learning. Journal of Employment Counseling, 40(1): 33-42.

Pasanen, H. 2004. Työssä oppimisen ohjaus prosessina. Ohjaus välitysten ja vuorovaikutuksen tuottamisena. In: Onnismaa, J. , Pasanen, H. & Spangar, T. (Eds.). Ohjaus ammattina ja tieteenalana Vol 3 (pp. 151-176). Jyväskylä: PS-kustannus. [The process of learning on the job. Providing mediative tools for workplace counseling.]