Maria Cristina Migliore

1. The contribution of older workers’ issue to innovateapprenticeship from the perspective of the CulturalHistorical Activity Theory Maria Cristina Migliore University of London, Institute of Education Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and Social Research of Piedmont

2. Aims of the presentation • Reflecting on working practices of old-timers (older workers) in an industrial shop floor: the role of experience in complex tasks. • How older workers see newcomers. • Differently from Lave and Wenger (1991), highlighting the relation between practical knowledge and theoretical knowledge in the production and reproduction of the shop floor. University of London, Institute of Education Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and Social Research of Piedmont

3. Theoretical framework • Cultural historical activity theory (CHAT): a materialistic approach developed by Vygotsky, Leontiev, Engestrom, Stetsenko • The centrality of the object-oriented activity in our relation with the world: every activity finds its origin in a motive/object and it is directed by this • Learning is a cultural and social process of mastering material artefacts and internalizing/externalizing symbolic artefacts, in carrying out activities with other individuals, to become a full participant in the community of practice (Lave &Wenger 1991). University of London, Institute of Education Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and Social Research of Piedmont

4. Complex tasks in the shop floor: when experience is important The flexible specialized production: broad skills and collaboration with the designers to solve problems. Labour processes are dotted with mishaps: • Variation in conditions of work: different materials, problems with tools • Risk of buckling • Design not available or not adequate • Stressful situation: dealing with emotions University of London, Institute of Education Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and Social Research of Piedmont

5. Practice and Theory • Older workers say that theory – a general understanding – is important. “It is useful theory, because if one starts from scratch, that is, she/he can learn nothing, theory is useful …”. • However they can develop a conceptual understanding at work too, through experiencing different jobs (the case of Mr B). • In other cases, working practices prompt need and motive to do vocational education (the case of Mr N). University of London, Institute of Education Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and Social Research of Piedmont

6. Old-timers and newcomers • Symmetric relations, not didactic: saying and explaining only if requested. Not teaching. As in Lave and Wenger 1991. • Pointing out that there are different ways of doing the same thing and there is always room to improve the practice • The importance of meeting the ‘right people’ who like sharing the tricks with you. • Newcomers can also learn theory from some older workers. University of London, Institute of Education Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and Social Research of Piedmont

7. Educated young workers are supposed to be able to work • Mr G notices that young workers arrive in the workplaces later, after school, and they are supposed to be able to work (Mr G, Par. 160; 00:04:02-00:04:44). This is different from what was his experience of entering the world of work in the beginning of the 80s: he was asked to do things as cleaning, keeping in order the workplace and gradually learned from the older workers and made his own experience. He adds that this was the typical way of starting working at that time. University of London, Institute of Education Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and Social Research of Piedmont

8. Young engineers are supposed to know what is needed • Mr D brings the issue of young colleagues who are educated and work as engineers in another department of the company (‘Tecnologie’) where they prepare the programs of the tool machines. • Adopting a tone of voice as a way of showing regret, disappointment, but also pity for them, he tells that they have a theoretical preparation, but “ … they do not know because they have never seen practically (…) and therefore they do not know what it is possible to do [and what it is not possible to do] (…) because if one knows how it is produced, then he can think “it is needed this and this and this” (…) sometimes things go wrong because maybe they [the young engineers] do not ask”. University of London, Institute of Education Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and Social Research of Piedmont

9. Practical and theoretical knowledge • Practical knowledge develops through social practices and manifests its self in practice. Conceptual understanding refers to theoretical knowledge which has the distinctive characteristic of conceiving alternatives and making connections (elaboration on Young 2004). • What is the connection between practical and theoretical knowledge? University of London, Institute of Education Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and Social Research of Piedmont

10. Learning as becoming a full participant able to connect practice and theory • The reproduction of the shop floor is not only about transmitting practical knowledge, it is also about learning how combining it with the theoretical understanding (Guile 2006). • The present older workers in flexible specialization may have developed how to combine theory and practice. • How much the apprenticeship systems are aware of the role of the different object-oriented activities, their related work organizations and management strategies in favouring exchanges among workers about theory and practice? • Being a full participant is also about who and how asking for help (knowing the ‘right people’). • It is also about dealing with emotions. University of London, Institute of Education Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and Social Research of Piedmont