This interpretive study focusses on women's and men's perceptions of their development of 'tacit forms of key competencies', and explores ways in which this learning experience, the development of 'tacit knowledge', takes place. All the research participants had taken, or were taking, time off paid work due to parenthood, caring responsibilities and/or being made redundant. The research combines biographical, ethnographical and phenomenological elements. Data are presented from in-depth, {socio)biographic interviews with 33 adults (25 women and 8 men), aged between 23 and 57 years, living in south east England.