Credibility-Regulated Learning in Engineering Commissioning: How Trust Shapes Access to Tacit Knowledge, Voice, and Professional Development

Abstract

Commissioning—the transition from construction to live operation—forces engineers to make rapid interpretations amid uncertainty. Beneath these technical demands lies a largely unexamined social mechanism: credibility negotiation. This conceptual paper argues that commissioning operates as a credibility-regulated learning environment in which access to tasks, information, and developmental opportunities is shaped not only by capability but by perceived legitimacy and alignment with team norms. Drawing on workplace learning theory, situated learning, and research on identity, voice, and underrepresentation in engineering, the paper develops a theoretical framework that explains how credibility shapes participation, exposure to tacit knowledge, and professional identity formation. The framework shows that credibility gaps produce uneven learning trajectories, distort risk detection, and disproportionately disadvantage early-career engineers, women, and culturally diverse professionals. Organisational interventions—including structured rotation, reflective practice, and explicit credibility socialisation—are proposed to reduce inequity and strengthen collective competence in commissioning teams.