1. Age, Experience, and Learning on the Job: Age, Experience, and Learning on 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 guidance Jussi Onnismaa University of Helsinki, Palmenia Centre for Continuing Education

2. Allan Salo: The tanner (1958)

3. “Every worker grows taller when his/her duties match his/her competence.” - A comment by a respondent

4. The 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

5. 1. What kind of vocational competencies the respondents regard as the most urgent in their 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 triangular Conclusion: Service work occurs in a triangular relationship of technicians, customers, and machines social relationship Machine problems may actually be problems in the social relationship between customer and the machine

6. 2. What is the meaning of experience and tacit 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

7. 3. In what ways the experience and tacit knowledge of the senior workers might be 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

8. 4. 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

9. Conclusion: 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 boundary object Learning on the job: joint activity and boundary object of educational institute and workplace

10. On-the-job learning as boundary crossing Huuhka & Saukkonen 2007 Activity system 1 Activity system 2

11. Personalisation of the studies Taking the students’ learning and guidance needs into account in the various stages of learning Personal level Personal 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

12. 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 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.]