Under the Canvas Ceiling: Ukrainian Refugee Women’s Learning at Lithuanian Organisations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2026.1.71.92Keywords:
workplace learning, refugee workplace integration, canvas ceiling, situated learning, vulnerable learners, community of practiceAbstract
Aim. The article aims how Ukrainian women refugees learn and integrate into professional communities of practice within Lithuanian companies.
Methods. Interviews with managers of Lithuanian companies (N=30) from various sectors, including education, social care, production, healthcare, hospitality and other services were conducted. Thematic analysis was employed, focusing on identifying and interpreting themes as patterns of meaning.
Results. The research revealed that the learning processes and integration of Ukrainian female refugees within Lithuanian companies are negatively impacted by their status as vulnerable learners, multilayered precarity, and the ‘canvas ceiling’, arising from the intersection of economic, psychological and social factors, including a gender-specific burden. The research delineated that different public and private sectors implement various learning arrangements, ‘regimes of competences’ and learning opportunities. These range from the generous professional development resources and formal learning opportunities (e.g. organised training and supervision) in the public sector, to the more informal and peer-based learning in the private sector.
Conclusions. The research demonstrates that refugee situated learning occurs within the context of both opportunities and multiple barriers, and that participation and identity transformation are painful and contested processes involving both learning to belong and being in a limbo. Recognising this situation enables the creation of appropriate solutions at national, organisational and interpersonal levels.
Cognitive value. The study contributes to the conceptualisation of workplace integration of refugees through learning, providing practical insights into how to address their labour market needs.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Natalija Mažeikienė, Meda Andrijauskienė , Rūta Salickaitė - Žukauskienė , Asta Savanevičienė , Gita Šakytė - Statnickė , Rūta Čiutienė
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