Due to the turbulent market conditions caused by globalization, information technology and fierce competition, organizations more than ever need to be able to quickly adapt to new challenges. Creating and maintaining competitive advantages through innovation, productivity and efficiency are key success factors. This requires a skilled workforce. However, the lifespan of know-how and skills is shortened by the same turbulence. Standard educational settings remain important, but seem to be inadequate to face the challenge organizations are confronted with. Other, lifelong ways of learning are needed to create a workforce that is competent, self-conscious, mobile and employable and that is thus able to provide the necessary key factors for success. Research has it that informal learning offers major advantages over other methods, such as minimized loss of productivity, higher motivation to learn and a much bigger impact. Yet informal learning seems to be most promising and most underdeveloped at the same time. In 2007 a number of Dutch organizations started to share information on informal learning to bridge the gap between theory and the work floor. The group consists among others of Philips Electronics Nederland (development, production, marketing), Kenniscentrum EVC (knowledge centre for accreditation of prior learning), Liftgroup (Learning Innovation Fashion Textile, knowledge centre for the textile, carpet, fashion and retail industry), Hogeschool Arnhem en Nijmegen (HAN), and CLR (involved in the innovation and coordination of competence development). Early 2008 they joined forces with organizations and experts in other European countries (United Kingdom, Belgium, Greece, Lithuania)that are equally convinced of the importance of informal learning. Together they have committed themselves to the following challenge: to develop a evidence-based and practical toolbox that facilitates and stimulates the implementation and/or improvement of informal learning in organizations, so that their employees are stimulated to convert their (un)conscious experiences into improved self-esteem, mobility, productivity and so that innovation and overall vocational skills and competences are strengthened. The proposal is targeted at lower-skilled workers in production environments and addresses three levels. The workforce should be able and be motivated to participate in informal learning. Its management (executives/foremen) should be equipped with the right skills and competences to facilitate the process of informal learning. The organization should be able to match informal learning with their existing organizational processes.As a result existing knowledge and experiences in the field of informal learning is blended, enriched and made available to HRM/HRD professionals so that the use and quality of informal learning as a tool for life long learning within Dutch (and vice versa in other European) organizations will be enhanced. As part of this project existing methods of validation of informal learning will be taken into account as well. The actual and practical use of the toolbox will improve the competences, employability, mobility and self-esteem of lower-skilled workers in the labour market and thus in the end increase the competitiveness and performance of organizations and economy.