Learning through practice is a central element of technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Historically, learning through practice has been the most important process for developing occupational competence and has served both societal and personal needs. However, since industrialization and the introduction of mass schooling, the standing and outcomes of practice-based learning experiences have been denigrated. Learning in workplaces is often described as informal or ad hoc, but this characterization is incorrect and imprecise. Current concerns about the applicability of what is learned through educational provision warrant a reappraisal of the legitimacy and worth of learning through practice. This paper offers a framework for understanding and promoting learning through practice, emphasizing the importance of curriculum, pedagogy, and personal epistemology. It argues that learning through practice is essential for initial and ongoing development of occupational competence, and that it should be recognized as a legitimate and valuable form of learning. The paper also discusses the contributions of learning through practice, its strengths and limitations, and the need for a science of learning through practice to support TVET policies and practices. It concludes that learning through practice is a key component of TVET and that it should be integrated into TVET programs to support the development of occupational capacities and the sustainability of employability across working lives.Learning through practice is a central element of technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Historically, learning through practice has been the most important process for developing occupational competence and has served both societal and personal needs. However, since industrialization and the introduction of mass schooling, the standing and outcomes of practice-based learning experiences have been denigrated. Learning in workplaces is often described as informal or ad hoc, but this characterization is incorrect and imprecise. Current concerns about the applicability of what is learned through educational provision warrant a reappraisal of the legitimacy and worth of learning through practice. This paper offers a framework for understanding and promoting learning through practice, emphasizing the importance of curriculum, pedagogy, and personal epistemology. It argues that learning through practice is essential for initial and ongoing development of occupational competence, and that it should be recognized as a legitimate and valuable form of learning. The paper also discusses the contributions of learning through practice, its strengths and limitations, and the need for a science of learning through practice to support TVET policies and practices. It concludes that learning through practice is a key component of TVET and that it should be integrated into TVET programs to support the development of occupational capacities and the sustainability of employability across working lives.