ABSTRACT
The part played by tacit skills and knowledge in work performance is well recognized but not well understood. These implicit or hidden dimensions of knowledge and skill are key elements of ‘mastery’, which experienced workers draw upon in everyday activities and continuously expand in tackling new or unexpected situations. This chapter argues that it is important to understand better how individuals harness and use tacit forms of key competences as they move between roles and settings. What part does the recognition of tacit forms of key competences play in the development of occupational and learning biographies? Does the recognition of tacit forms of key competences increase or decrease inequalities? What are the implications when considered in the contexts of ‘technocratic’ and ‘democratic’ versions of the learning society?
