Craftsmanship as Bildung: reimagining pathways and potential in Sweden’s Building and Construction Programme

This article takes the form of a case study and aims to contribute an alternative perspective on the Building and Construction Programme (BCP) in Sweden by highlighting examples of craftsmanship and Bildung, as well as investigating what prevailing norms may conceal aspects of Bildung. Bildung refers to a holistic approach to personal growth that goes beyond mere knowledge acquisition. Through participant observation, four detailed examples were selected, and analysed with the support of practice theories. The results demonstrate that the current perception of the BCP as primarily involving simple manual work makes it more difficult to recognise its potential for Bildung. Furthermore, limited opportunities to use spoken language during noisy work, together with certain prevailing norms, may render the affordances of Bildung invisible. Thus, attention should be devoted to the complexity of craftsmanship and its affordances for Bildung as it could enhance the reputation of the BCP. This would help ensure that construction teachers’ pedagogic competences are recognised, and that they have opportunities to highlight the Bildung-oriented didactic principles already in use. The trade itself also needs to consider its role in developing the future workforce, particularly when the pursuit of maximising profit risks undermining the regrowth of well-educated construction workers.