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This article examines the informal learning of two principal human resource development (HRD) practitioners working at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games construction sites, highlighting tensions between individual experience and the workplace. The article is based on an interpretive study in which findings are ‘counterpointed’ by postmodern and critical perspectives. Key questions include these: Why is informal learning, at this particular moment, an important research focus in HRD? What are the problems of defining informal learning? How does one learn informally, and what affects it? The article concludes by rethinking informal learning and discussing implications for future HRD research and practice.

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The Office for Women in the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) is leading this review, and is seeking views from the community in examining and reviewing the effectiveness and efficiency of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace (EOWW) Act and the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) in delivering equal employment opportunity to women in Australia. The review also aims to consider practical ways to improve the equal opportunity framework to deliver better outcomes for Australian women. The terms of reference are to: (1) examine the contribution that the EOWW Act has made to increasing women's employment opportunities and advancing women's equality in the workplace; (2) examine the role that the EOWW Act and Agency have in gathering and reporting on workplace data; (3) consider the effectiveness of the existing legislation and arrangements in delivering equal opportunity for women; (4) provide advice on practical ways in which the equal opportunity for women framework could be improved to deliver better outcomes for Australian women; (5) consider opportunities to reduce the cost of existing regulation and/or ways to ensure that any new legislation is cost-effective and well-targeted; (6) consider the EOWW Act and Agency within the framework of existing and proposed human rights and workplace-related legislation, policy and administration, with a view to maximising complementarity and reducing overlap; and (7) have regard to the effects of the EOWW Act, or any proposed recommendations resulting from this review, on social inclusion, the economy, the labour market, business competitiveness and the general wellbeing of the Australian community.

This report summarises the findings of a consultation process to gauge the perspectives of a wide range of individuals and organisations to be considered in framing future arrangements for equal employment opportunity for women. One hundred and thirty-six submissions were received from individuals, organisations and government agencies; 744 reporting organisations and 859 employees were surveyed; five roundtables involving 98 individuals were held around Australia; and 21 expert individuals and stakeholder representatives were interviewed.

The issues paper is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 97.776. Show less

This paper explores and critiques traditional and contemporary understandings of competence and presents research examples pertinent to vocational education. It is argued that ‘competence’ is a critical field for research and practice in vocational education. An alternative model of competence which includes all elements of a workplace environment that impact on vocational learning and practice is recommended. This approach which is based on phenomenographic theory represents a new way of looking at competence where the individual’s dynamic conception of the work, and his/her relationship to it are recognised. The interpretative-relational model of competence places the meaning of engagement in practice for the worker at the centre stage.

Entries containing the full list of the papers from this conference may be found from TD/TNC 67.61 to TD/TNC 67.64. Entries for individual papers may be found from TD/TNC 67.65 to TD/TNC 67.100 and from TD/TNC 67.501 to TD/TNC 67.541. Show less

In a previous ethnographic study (Sebrant, 2000) a social constructionist view of how social identity is produced among professional groups in Swedish healthcare was developed. Looking at the workplace as an important environment for identity construction suggested that these processes were conditions for learning. The purpose of this paper is to develop further interpretations of narratives from the previous study about the implementation of teamwork and computerisation at the clinic. The main question is: how do emotion, power relations, identity construction and learning interact in the healthcare context? In an emotional reading of these narratives, the medical hierarchy seems to have a strong influence on emotional displays among staff. The fear of losing tasks and responsibility turned to anger and resistance when change was initiated. Disappointment and envy towards other groups, which were perceived as gaining an advantage, seemed to be underlying emotions that were not allowed to be expressed overtly. The display of envy, often in the form of ironies, critique and ignoring the competence of others, appeared to be an obstacle to learning new ways of working and relating to each other in the workplace.

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'NACE journal' is published four times a year. It covers both sides of the college career services and human resources (HR)/staffing field. This issue includes the following feature articles: 'Projected demographics: numbers tell the story' by Patti Giordani (p. 14-18) which employs demographics in order to ascertain the expected study plans of students, and how recruiting professionals can expect this to impact on the workforce; 'A tribute to excellence: NACE Annual Awards' (p. 19-26) which recognises organisations and individuals who have displayed knowledge, leadership and excellence in professional practice; 'Research to practice: DO-IT prepares students with disabilities for employment' by Sheryl Burgstahler, Scott Bellman and Sara L. Lopez (p. 27-35) which describes a project in which students with disabilities can access and derive benefit from work-based learning and mentoring programs; 'Do employers and colleges see eye-to-eye?: college student development and assessment' by Smriti Shivpuri and Brian Kim (p. 37-44) which examines the perceived 'skills gap' between university education and workplace expectations. Show less

This study informed on why men, trained in electrical safety, take risks on the job site. As Senge (2006) agreed, this condition creates a problem of dynamic complexity (p. 71), not linear complexity. Through interviews and focus groups with electricians, this study examined the role of emotions in safety advertising aimed at modifying risk-taking behaviour. Key topics of explorations included worldviews, cognition, education, age, personality type, macho behaviour on the job site, organizational and cultural pressures, peer pressure, and safety role modeling. Subtopics included adult learning at different VMEMEs (Beck and Cowan, 1996), or worldviews, how adults learn, and the role of positive or negative advertising in risk communications. Authors have argued that fear is the most efficacious means of modifying risk-taking behaviour (Hill, Chapman, and Donovan, 1998; Tanner, Hunt, and Eppright, 1991), while positive emotions can encourage 'advertising likeability' (Du Plessis, 2006, p. xxiii), improving recall of safety messages.

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In the past decades, social and economic forces have produced many changes in the labour markets of North America and other industrialised countries. While Canada is currently experiencing a strong economy, not all citizens are enjoying the benefits. Large numbers of adult workers are stuck in low-paid jobs, while others have difficulty finding stable employment at all. Some self-employed adults face similarly low incomes, and are not protected by laws governing basic employment standards, while others who do come under this protection are unaware of their rights. The purpose of this paper is to explore aspects of vulnerability in the labour market, with vulnerable workers described as ‘those whose participation in the labour market leaves their well-being at risk, because they have difficulty accessing work that is decently paid and/or offers conditions of work that meet basic social norms’. A close association is found to exist between vulnerability and the increase in non-standard work, and research finds that there is a strong gender bias to these issues, with women being more strongly affected than men. The chapters of the report examine: the context of changing labour markets and changing workplaces; concepts of vulnerability in the labour market; demographic characteristics of vulnerable workers; and instruments to assist vulnerable workers. Show less

It is frequently claimed that women who enter engineering have to ‘fit in’ to ‘a masculine culture’, but there is little systematic evidence on this. This article presents observations about gender dynamics in engineers’ everyday interactions, drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in three companies. The overall picture is mixed. Engineers are generally respectful in their interactions, but there are subtle dynamics which make it easier for (more) men than women engineers to build effective work relationships and to ‘belong’. Topics of conversation are generally quite wide-ranging and inclusive amongst close colleagues, but lean heavily on gender-stereotypical subjects with outsiders. Most engineers take some care not to cause offence to others, but in some workplaces the humour and chat are very sexualised and sexist. Engineering can accommodate a range of masculinities, but some are more influential than others. Throughout, we see that doing the job often involves ‘doing gender’. Workplace cultures not only oil the wheels of the job and the organisation; they can also have a huge bearing on who stays and gets on in engineering. Part II of this article (in a later issue) takes this analysis further, by highlighting an ‘in/visibility paradox’ facing women engineers.

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Part II is indexed at TD/TNC 97.931 Show less

This chapter focuses on key dimensions of workforce smartness from the perspective of workplace education by exploring the nature and implications of literacy as social practice for workplaces and the workforce in contemporary working conditions. The author outlines a number of analytic tools to enhance thinking about literacy in workplaces and suggests that an appreciation of different constructions of literacy and their application to smart workforces is required to respond strategically in relation to literacy and smart work. The discussion addresses both conventional (print-based) and technological (digital) practices of literacy and examines different kinds of workplace arrangements.

The volume from which this chapter is taken is indexed at TD/TNC 67.101. Individual chapters are indexed from TD/TNC 67.102 to TD/TNC 67.109. Show less

Constant change through inter-firm competition, employer-employee negotiations and technological change has defined capitalist production from its inception. New information technologies add some distinct wrinkles but don’t alter the basic dynamics of the system. People are increasingly pursuing more formal schooling, further education courses and informal learning to compete in labour markets that demand greater credentials. But, with the exception of occasional specialised skill shortages, the work-related knowledge and learning capacities of the populace continually exceed the technical requirements of the existing job structures. Underemployment (including the talent use gap, structural unemployment, involuntary temporary employment, credential underemployment, the performance gap and subjective underemployment) is an endemic problem. Important as continuing learning is to our species existence, insisting on still greater learning will not resolve the underemployment problem. The sensible response is more concerted efforts to redesign and redistribute paid and unpaid work (e.g. workplace democratisation, work time reduction policies, development of green jobs) to allow fulfilling and sustaining uses of many more peoples’ skills and knowledge. The presentation draws on recent Canadian surveys, including the first national survey of adults’ informal learning and related case studies conducted by the research network on New Approaches to Lifelong learning (NALL), to support these arguments.

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