In Australia, many small business Chinese restaurants (SBCRs) prefer in-house practicebased learning, instead of training in educational institutions, for workers to develop occupational competencies. Practice-based learning involves learning while engaging in work activities, though such on-the-job learning is not recognised or accredited. The study for this thesis examined workers’ practice-based learning experiences in SBCRs. It investigated the practice architectures that enabled and constrained practice-based learning to suggest the most appropriate strategies to support practice-based learning in SBCRs. The investigation was guided by an overarching research question and three subquestions. The main question was: In what ways do workers in SBCRs engage in learning through everyday work practices? The sub-questions were:

1. How is practice-based learning experienced in SBCRs?
2. What are the factors that enable and constrain practice-based learning in SBCRs?
3. What kinds of pedagogies best support workers’ learning in SBCRs? The study used the practice theory lens and employed a multiple case study approach to understand the research concerns. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 20 workers and managers, and site observations at 11 participating restaurants in southeast Queensland, Australia. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify how practice architectures enable and constrain workers’ practice-based learning in their workplaces. The findings highlighted workers’ experiences of practice-based learning to develop occupational competencies that were generic as well as site specific. The study emphasised the practical value of practice-based learning for workers in SBCRs. The enabling and constraining features informed ways to enhance practice-based learning for workers in SBCRs. A significant finding related to the contributions of ethnic Chinese cultural practices in supporting workers’ learning. Moreover, the understandings about Chinese ethnic culture suggest approaches for workers to secure access to tacit knowledge and skills from experts who normally guard the tricks of their trade. These approaches could be considered by novice workers and students gaining practical experiences in SBCRs.