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Learning and work life can be seen as related (Billet 2001; Fjellström and Kristmansson, 2019) and research in VET context is undergoing a renaissance as research is growing (Andersson 2019; Michelsen, Stenström, Jørgensen, Olsen and Thunqvist 2018) and reviews regarding VET are still rare (Gessler and Siemer, 2020). This paper focuses on research in a Nordic perspective with an aim to identify and analyse published articles in relation to geography of authors, stated keywords and methods. The paper presents a scoping review of research in the field of learning and work life between 2015 and 2021 in a Nordic perspective. It is divided into three parts that follow the research questions. The first part presents an overview of the topics that are studied in the field of learning and work life within the Nordic countries. In the second part the focus is on the different methods that are used in the research field. The final part highlights the question related to region/university-specific topics within Nordic research on learning and work life.

Methodology: The methodological approach is a scoping research review. Web of science, ERIC, Scopus, SWEPub, Oria, BiblioteketDK, and Finna have been used to identify 1067 articles in the specific research area. All articles were divided into three groups that were analysed according to the following criteria: keywords, author´s affiliation, geographic areas of research and methodological approaches. This process resulted in a total of 886 articles as the analytical work also identified articles that didn't meet the search criteria. NVIVO and SciMAT were used in the analytical process.

Outcomes: In relation to what the articles claim to focus on, the keywords used in the different articles show how the authors classify and interpret their research. Preliminary results show differences in research topics in the Nordic countries. Further, common combinations of methods are interviews and observations. Thus, research in a Nordic perspective is in many cases following the same methodological design. Finally, the results indicate that there are differences in research focus from a geographical perspective.

References: Billett, S. (2020). Learning in the workplace: Strategies for effective practice. Routledge.Cobo, M. J., López‐Herrera, A. G., Herrera‐Viedma, E., & Herrera, F. (2012). SciMAT: A new science mapping analysis software tool. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 63(8), 1609-1630.Fjellström, M., & Kristmansson, P. (2019). Constituting an apprenticeship curriculum. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 51(4), 567-581.Gessler, M., & Siemer, C. (2020). Umbrella review: Methodological review of reviews published in peer-reviewed journals with a substantial focus on vocational education and training research. International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training, 7(1), 91-125.Michelsen, S., Stenström, M. L., Jørgensen, C. H., Olsen, O. J., & Thunqvist, D. P. (Eds.). (2018). Vocational education in the Nordic Countries. Routledge.

In Sweden, upper secondary vocational education and training (VET) teachers must have high relevant vocational experience from a previous career, but 44% do not have a teaching certificate and thus are not formally qualified. However, there are significant differences between the 12 national VET programs in this respect. For example, 68 percent of the Child Recreation Program teachers are qualified, but only 28 percent of the HVAC and Property Maintenance Program teachers. The overall aim of this study is to identify and understand factors that motivate individuals to choose VET teaching as a second career in Sweden. As the Factors influencing teaching choice (FIT-Choice) scale has been rarely used in a Swedish VET context, a secondary aim is to test its suitability in this context. Thus, we investigate Swedish VET teachers’ choice of a second career, using the FIT-Choice scale. The findings show that it has sufficient validity and reliability for investigating Swedish VET teachers’ motivational determinants, and that the factors motivating their career change are highly dependent on their former occupation and working conditions. Other important factors include the family-friendly work schedules. The findings contribute to understanding of factors that motivate people to become vocational teachers, which is essential for improving the development of the highly skilled employees required in numerous sectors.

Apprenticeships are required for many trades and can take different forms. In Sweden, one form can be viewed as a pathway where students complete a three-year-long vocational education in upper secondary school followed by a post-secondary apprenticeship in a particular trade. Another takes the form of vocational training within the framework of upper secondary school through an apprenticeship. This study analyses how a more clearly defined apprenticeship curriculum can provide sufficient knowledge to identify and understand learning outcomes in apprenticeships. A theoretical framework of an apprenticeship curriculum is used in the analytical work. The findings show that educational goals are often overlooked during apprenticeships, and thus a deliberative education is overridden by deliberative learning that stems from and is closely connected to the individual’s own perception of what to learn. By constituting an apprenticeship curriculum, this article contributes to an enhanced understanding of how to analyse vocational learning, and thus adds important elements to the research field.

This thesis describes and analyses vocational learning in school and workplaces, particularly the vocational learning involved in becoming a construction worker in Sweden. This includes learning the trade in upper secondary school education and a subsequent apprenticeship. An underlying argument is that activities in these contexts enable a diverse vocational learning outcome. However, there are potential tensions and contradictions, especially between production- and education-oriented aspects of the learning activities in these settings. To address these and associated issues, two research questions were posed. First, how do work-based activities enable vocational learning? Second, what forms of learning are enabled in school and work life settings and how are these forms of learning constituted? These questions were addressed using information drawn from observations, interviews and a survey. Analyses of the data, using a theoretical framework based on activity and forms of learning theory, show that the school and workplace settings enable different types of learning that form a joint constructed object. Further, the contexts provide diverse tasks that, with guidance from more experienced persons, can enhance the learning outcomes. So, vocational learning is enabled through tensions in the activity systems that form a learning outcome. In project-based vocational education and training (PBVET) provided in upper secondary school, vocational learning is enabled through basic training and opportunities to learn key techniques. In subsequent apprenticeships, the transformation of basic knowledge into specialized knowledge is enabled through close guidance and by the apprentices performing complex tasks. There are also clear differences in the freedom allowed in the performance of tasks between the PBVET and apprenticeships. The PBVET does not allow students to develop and apply their own solutions, while apprentices are encouraged to discover and implement solutions that enhance the performance of tasks. So, different forms of learning are enabled in the two contexts; the PBVET largely promotes reproductive learning and the apprenticeships largely promote productive learning. Scope for improvement was detected, as the PBVET does not appear to provide knowledge that fully meets criteria in the syllabuses, and the apprenticeship does not fully meet the learners’ educational needs. However, the settings provide complementary vocational learning opportunities. Thus, tensions and contradictions can be identified in the activity systems in the school and workplace settings that collectively form the boundaries of a learning outcome that largely corresponds to what the learners need to know and (hence) become construction workers.

Background: In Sweden, some occupations require post-secondary apprenticeship, e.g. those who are to become construction workers, while some do not, e.g. those who are to become business and administration workers. Research on post-secondary apprenticeship can be regarded as sparse. To address vocational learning in post-secondary apprenticeship, this explorative study focuses on apprentices in the construction industry. The aim of this study is to identify how vocational learning is constituted within workplace activities.

Methods: This study aimed to follow up a study of a former class of construction students who participated in project-based vocational education (Empir Res Vocat Educ Train 6:2, 2014). The study included 11 semi-structured interviews, which lasted between 35 and 55 min, and a survey that related to 64 stated learning goals.

Result: The findings show that the development of vocational learning is closely linked to performing tasks that challenge the apprentices to think and solve problems. This approach to the performance of tasks enhances productive learning where the payroll system appears to trigger the scope of action. Further, this study shows that, despite differences in the activities that are carried out at different workplaces, the learning outcomes are dependent on personal goals as well as indirect and direct guidance.

Conclusion: Although stated learning goals are highly valued, the apprentices, have problems relating to them. Instead, interaction and guidance from more experienced co-workers lead to the development of a learning outcome. As described herein, a vocational learning outcome of post-secondary apprenticeships is complex, and can be understood as being related to individual goals and workplace activities that interact and constitute vocational learning. Thus, this explorative study has identified four main standpoints that afford vocational learning in post-secondary apprenticeship: (a) the importance of guidance in the workplace, (b) the possibility of performing complex tasks, (c) the encouragement to develop new methods, and (d) the possibility of being a part of the building process.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to compare, and identify both similarities and differences in, affordances for vocational learning in two contrasting education systems, for construction worker and shop salesperson apprentices, in Swedish contexts.

Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected through interviews and observations in two research projects, each addressing relevant aspects of one of the focal educational systems. A framework consisting of identified goals, activities and guidance was applied in the analysis.

Findings - The results show that the affordances for learning in the examined educational systems are dependent on the learners' access to, and participation in, workplace activities. A conclusion is that workplace demands override educational goals in both cases. Thus, the affordances for learning related to both individual and educational goals are dependent on the access to guidance during workplace activities.

Originality/value - The study highlights constraints between educational goals and workplace affordances in both apprenticeship systems, which largely develop vocational competencies related to specific workplace demands and activities. A presented model regards apprenticeships as vocational and educational training in workplaces is outlined that enable a deeper understanding of the correspondence between individual, educational and workplace goals that forms the type of activity which leads to a learning outcome.

This comparative study comprises apprentices who are becoming construction workers and shop salesmen’s within two different apprenticeship systems in a Swedish context. Particularly in this paper, the aim is to study how affordances for vocational learning can be viewed through these educational contexts. The data collection includes interviews and documents related to respectively educational system. The findings show that there are similarities between the two apparent different educational systems. One conclusion is that workplace demands overcome the criteria in the steering documents. Consequently, there are apparent constraints between stated goals and the affordances offered by workplaces in both educational systems. Hence, they both develop vocational competencies according to workplace demands that correspond to workplace activities.

Project-based vocational education and training (PBVET) is a way to conduct vocational education in Swedish construction programmes. The educational settings used include projects ranging from minor construction to advanced houses. Due to limited research on this kind of educational setting, it is important to further develop knowledge on affordances in a PBVET. The aim of this study is to describe and analyse teachers’ perception on opportunities for teacher guidance provided in a PBVET. From this broad aim, the following research question is addressed: how do teachers view PBVET as (a) framing possibilities for their practice, (b) affecting students’ learning and (c) presenting challenges in this learning environment? Adopted methods for this study are observations and interviews. Observations were made at a PBVET worksite, which were then used in stimulated recall interviews. The findings show that this PBVET affects both teachers’ opportunities to perform teacher guidance as well as students’ possibilities for learning. This appears to be related to the structure in this PBVET which can be seen as operating within different activity systems. Hence, an interaction between these systems is likely the most important issue that needs to be resolved when conducting vocational education as a PBVET.

Being educated in workplaces can be viewed as interdependent with work. Learning in these contexts is thus an important component in the educational pathway for construction apprentices in Sweden. This paper is contributing to increase the understanding of workplace affordances by using a theoretical framework of a workplace curriculum. By interviewing apprentices in the end of their apprenticeship education and perform a survey, the apprentices view on the affordances provided in their workplace is displayed. The result show that high complex task both challenges them as well as contributing to an enhanced learning situation. Further, being able to be a part of and understanding the building process is thus seen as a key competence. Hence, they are encouraged to develop new methods and solutions to problems in order to rapid up the production and thus being a part of the community. So by working i.e. being educated, they are able to go beyond their well-known competence by interaction with more experienced co-workers and the affordances provided in the workplace.