The paper describes parts of the results of a theoretical and empirical study of transfer in the Danish VET-programmes, which is being carried out in the period 2003-2005. The aim is to contribute to a revision of the didactics of the VET-programmes, which will strengthen the learning in a dual system. Previous studies have shown that the apprentices in the VET-programmes generally find it difficult to perceive the coherence of the training in school and workplace respectively. The purpose of the present study is to specify the factors that influence the apprentices' view of the school-based parts of the programme.

The focus is on the apprentices' performance in practice situations in the workplace and their transfer in that connection. Their performance is influenced by the current situation, and in the first part of the study I have used Per-Erik Ellström theory about adaptive and developmental learning in workplaces (Ellström, 2001) to categorize four types of practice situations (Aarkrog, 2003). Furthermore their performance is influenced by the apprentices' perception of the meaning of their work (Sandberg, 2000). And finally the apprentices change their view of learning in the school-based parts of the VET-programme throughout the training period. The apprentices move from being merely motivated for subjects which have a specific connection to their jobs to being motivated for more general subjects (Aarkrog, 2001).

In this paper I discuss the results of an empirical study of a VET-programme for ambulancemen. The programme takes 2,7 years to complete and the apprentices alternate between practical and theoretical training in school and practical training in first-aid stations. The empirical study focuses on the apprentices' competence development especially their perception of the meaning of their job functions in specific practice situations. The interesting distinction is between situations, which involve technical tasks and situations, which involve human interaction. The assumption is that the apprentices' ways of transferring from school to the practical training in the workplace differ in the two types of situations. Furthermore the apprentices' transfer changes as they develop their perception of the meaning of their job functions. Inspired by Sandberg (Sandberg, 2000) the assumption is that the novice apprentices focus on the technical aspects of the practice situation whereas increasing proficiency leads to a focus on communication with the patients.

• Ellström, P.-E. (2001). Integrating Learning and Work: Problems and Prospects. Human Resource Development, 12(4), 421-435.
• Sandberg, J. (2000). Understanding human competence at work: An interpretative approach. Academy of Management Journal, 43(1), 9-25.
• Aarkrog, V. (2001). Between School and Practice. Four theoretical frameworks for analysing the coherence between school-based education and practical training in vocational education and training programmes PhD.thesis (the title has been translated; only available in Danish). Copenhagen: The Danish University of Education.
• Aarkrog, V. (2003). The coherence between practice situations and ways of transfer. Education Line.