The aim of this study is to contribute to the innovation of pre-vocational education, in particular, students' orientation at possible future occupations. From our theoretical understanding, vocational orientation that makes sense to students requires them to be part of a "community of learners for vocational orientation". In such a community, students are stimulated to learn deliberately while participating in vocational practices. In this article we distinguish four parameters to define a community of learners for vocational orientation. We then present the results of a collective instrumental case study into teaching-learning processes in four classes in two pre-vocational secondary schools. Data were collected through classroom observations, a series of interviews with teachers and students. The interviews focused on eight "critical incidents" recorded during classroom observations. The results show that the parameters "shared learning" and "meaningful learning" are more manifest in the teaching-learning process than "reflective learning" and "a focus on transferable learning outcomes". The article concludes with a discussion of the limits of working in simulated work situations in school for realizing effective pre-vocational education. (Contains 1 figure and 2 notes.)