Sales Assistants in the Making: Learning Through Responsibility

Abstract

The paper investigates how learning and processes of becoming are shaped and enacted in retail apprenticeship in Norway. The analysis draws upon a qualitative study of managers and apprentices in different retail sub-sectors. The empirical point of departure is managers who, more or less deliberately, throw apprentices into tasks from day one. Thus, the apprentices have to handle tasks with limited instruction and guidance. The paper argues that the level of trust the apprentices are shown, and the responsibility they assume, fosters emotional engagement conducive to learning. The concept of learning environment is applied to understand the relationship between affordances and engagement. In linking the organisation of work to learning processes, emphasis is placed on how 'being responsible' is not merely a capacity residing within the individual, but embedded in and constituted by institutionalised work roles, task allocation and trust relations. The paper aims to nuance prevailing accounts of lack of guidance as purely detrimental to workplace learning. However, the weakly established tradition of vocational training in Norwegian retail requires a critical look into the kind of learning this practice implies. Contentious issues of throwing apprentices into the deep end are discussed.

Guiding workplace learning in vocational education and training: a literature review

“…Qualitative methods dominated the sample, as they were applied in 10 studies between 1999-2015. Three studies (2008 applied quantitative methods and four mixed-method studies (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011) applied both qualitative and quantitative methods.…”

“…Evanciew and Rojewski (1999) state that apprentices benefit from their mentors' descriptions of the 'tricks of the trade' and thereby gain access to information unavailable at school. The process of explanation can also be seen as involving the sharing of tacit Virtanen and Tynjälä (2008) Scaffolding and fading 4 Evanciew and Rojewski (1999), Filliettaz (2011), Nielsen (2008, Tanggaard (2005) Observation and demonstrations 3 Evanciew and Rojewski (1999), Smith (2000), Tanggaard (2005) Independent work and experimentation 3 Evanciew and Rojewski (1999), Reegård (2015), Smith (2000) knowledge with newcomers at the workplace. The transfer of tacit knowledge seems most efficient when more experienced professionals work together with inexperienced apprentices (Koskela and Palukka 2011;Onnismaa 2008).…”

“…Three articles mentioned allowing independent work and encouraging students to experiment and explore on their own as part of guidance activities (Evanciew and Rojewski 1999;Reegård 2015;Smith 2000). Reegård (2015) describes the managers quickly introducing apprentices to work and trusting them with a lot of responsibility and autonomy from early on.…”

“…Reegård (2015) describes the managers quickly introducing apprentices to work and trusting them with a lot of responsibility and autonomy from early on. On the one hand, this was seen as a deliberate pedagogical strategy.…”

“…Of the 18 articles, ten view workplace guidance from a more collective perspective and claim that nominated trainers are not the only ones providing learners with guidance (Chan 2014;Collin and Valleala 2005;Corney and du Plessis 2010;Evanciew and Rojewski 1999;Gurtner et al 2011;Onnismaa 2008;Reegård 2015;Smith 2000;Tanggaard 2005;Wegener 2014). Other members of the work community are also involved in providing guidance for newcomers when they share workplace situations.…”