Trades workers’ workplace learning involves learning occupational practices as recognised and embodied in expert practitioners. Learning trade-based occupational skills goes beyond competency. Learning to become a tradesperson encompasses aspects of learning by doing deliberate and reflective practice and co-construction or co-creation of specialist understandings with peers, co-workers and mentors. The main contributors to individuals’ learning are elucidated in this chapter. These supports may be categorised as being from the socio-cultural and/or sociomaterial. Socio-cultural assistance comes from the social milieu in which practices are enacted. Learners inter-relate socio-culturally with their peers, teachers, workmates, managers, etc. From each of these inter-relationships, learners may be able to have work skills modelled to them and to obtain feedback on their nascent and progressive skills attainment. Sociomaterial contributions arise from the interactions workers perform with the tools, equipment, machinery, materials and other artefacts of trades work. From these objects and items, the learning of the nuanced ways to work with and for these artefacts provides learners with the distinctive approaches required to attain expertise in their crafts or trade. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd 2020.
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