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Jennings, Perren and Carter (2005) have argued for 'paradigmatic pluralism' in the entrepreneurship research and policy discourses. Entrepreneurial learning in small business has been critiqued on a continuum from reactive, single loop learning, to anticipatory, double loop learning, but mostly through an institutional skills deficit, as opposed to appreciative inquiry focus. This difficult to quantify, informal 'workplace learning' is often overlooked through functionalist lenses, reinforcing existing power relationships and hegemonies intent on engaging grassroots industry more formally in the broader policy objectives of lifelong learning, workforce development, and social inclusion. There is a need to debate these dominant discourses of workplace learning though, within the 'organisational ecology' of the heterogeneous small business world. Both vocational education and training (VET) and small business are subjugated to global capital in a deregulated, neo liberalist market economy, which can be capacity reducing in the regions, as opposed to capacity building. It could be argued there is no comparable, ecumenical framework within VET to accredit the total contribution, or investment in people by small business to regional communities. In this light, how can workforce development and social contribution in small businesses become more visible in the policy debate? This paper will discuss findings from a qualitative PhD research study in regional South Australia, and conclude with suggestions for redefining the value of entrepreneurial learning in the workplace and participation in lifelong learning by small business, and promulgate the shift to a model of sustainable entrepreneurship in VET.