The product takes the form of a set of criteria for the identification of best practice in work based learning, specifically in the fields of child care, health care and elderly care. Topics are broad in nature and centre on confirming good (or excellent) practice among learners, teachers and mentors alike. Topics extend to issues such as respect for diversity, evidencing learning, multidisciplinarity and the relevance, transparency and transfer potential of learning.
The health and social care sector has been confirmed as an area for future job growth, yet it is an area which also requires further investment with a view to meeting potential skills shortages, in the future, whilst similarly addressing the education and training needs of migrant workers that are already meeting short-term demands for labour in a number of European countries. Consequently, and unsurprisingly, on-the-job learning has become a crucial element in responding to identified skills development needs, yet there exists a broad range of learning delivery mechanisms and techniques across Europe. The developed criteria provide a crucial first step for those wishing to identify good (or excellent) practice among learners, teachers and mentors alike and could potentially aid the future development of curricula and/or training programmes as a response to the identified gaps in the quality of learning delivery.