Continuous Professional Development by Work Based Learning for Engineers: Utilising the Integration of Tacit and Explicit Knowledge

The paper describes the development of a model for continous professional/personal devlopment of Engineers using a work-based learning approach. The basis of the new model is the integration and the interaction of tacit knowledge with relevant explicit knowledge. The fators affecting integration were investigated within organisations to establish a new operational paradigm. A model is described to achieve the integration and optimise the capture of tacit knowledge. The flow of tacit knowledge and tacit knowledge transfer in organisations are suggested to be directly related to effective learning and the development of personal/professional cpmpetence. It is concluded that the model offers a novel approach to off-campus learning. Key findings from an EU funded Leonardo project (2003) are described that relate to Chisholm and Holifield (2003)