Emerging perspectives and the challenges for workplace learning

The provision of learning experiences in workplaces is now commonly discussed, included in educational programs and seen as a means of addressing individuals' learning across all stages of their working lives. Yet much still needs to be understood about learning in work settings and identifying ways of improving these experiences for a range of purposes associated with working life. Contemporary workplaces require employees to sustain their employability throughout their working lives, initially developing and then maintaining their work-related capacities to respond effectively to the changing work requirements and ways of working. Moreover, workplace learning experiences are now directed to an increasingly broad set of personal, workplace, community and national purposes, and increasingly by those in educational institutions. Certainly, most of these purposes are aligned with developing skilful capacities, including those required for particular workplace performances and for responding to transformations in occupational practice.