In Sweden, as in many other countries, the health and social care sector are in great need of staff recruitment and are therefore a secure road into the labour market for people who are unemployed or risk being unemployed (Torres, 2010a; Ahnlund & Johansson, 2010; SCB, 2014). To secure employment in the workplace, for example in elderly care, there is a requirement for a formal education: the adult education program in health and social care (SOU 2008:126). The purpose of this paper is to investigate the students’ experiences of their education, with a focus on what competence and knowledge they describe as necessary in their future work in health and social care. The data is collected from 15 in-depth interviews with students in adult education programs in health and social care at different schools.

Theoretical framework is based mainly on Lave and Wenger theory of Legitimate Peripheral Participation and Learning (Lave & Wenger 1991/2011). The analysis also includes a sociocultural theory according to Säljö (2000/2005). The result shows that the requirement of cultural and linguistic competence is paramount. It also became clear that during the education, the student will meet several complex mediating artifacts, some of them can make the work even more complicated. Furthermore, it became clear that personal qualities can be crucial to whether education is finished.

Assignments as mediating artefacts in vocational teacher education

Vocational teacher students accomplish a number of different assignments, which are meaningful for their learning and future work as vocational teachers. In Sweden, this education is relatively short (90 ECTS), partly conducted as distance education. The students enter the education with previous vocational knowledge and experiences. The aim of this study was to explore and describe assignments the students face during their vocational teacher education. The study questions focused on what is a form of assignment as mediating artefact and what kind of vocational knowledge is required? Conceptual background involved the concepts of mediation, artefact, vocational knowledge and knowledge culture. The data consisted of 13 course overviews. The results suggested dominance of individual written assignments. Even though some assignments were identified as ‘doings’ like teaching. The assignments were complex involving several vocational knowledge dimensions and the students needed to navigate between different knowledge domains. Furthermore, the students were asked to integrate their previous vocational knowledge with pedagogical knowledge. The assignments as mediating artefacts were connected to different knowledge cultures.

Numerous research on the development of knowledge and skills within health and social care has been undertaken; however, it can be argued that there is a need to understand the connection between inclusion and the development in knowledge and experience.  The purpose of this dissertation is to explore students’ experiences of the health and social care adult- education program, and participation and learning processes it represents.  The program is considered the formal route to acquire a position as a nursing assistant or health care assistant. Furthermore, the program can be seen as a combination of vocational training, and a measure to reduce unemployment.

This empirical study is based on 15 in- depth interviews with students in the health and social care adult-education. These interviews are using a hermeneutic interpretation method, and draw on Lave and Wenger`s theory of learning. In addition to sociocultural theory according to Säljö.

Findings indicate that the adult-education program in health and social care is not only a training process, but also a participation process. For the students, it is about gaining participation in the professional community, in Swedish society, and also about an existential safety in a social context. In order to gain participation, intellectual and physical artifacts, as well as personal qualities, are a prerequisite. Despite these requirements, and the challenges students face, the findings reveal that most students continue their studies. This finding leads to the idea that health and social care can be understood a discipline of inclusion.

These findings assist the health and social care field in understanding the connection between said artifacts for inclusion in working life and society; in addition, that such programs should be understood from a wider perspective and viewed in relation to the tension between three educational projects: the students` individual project, the program organizer’s project and the national, societal education project.