Vocational education and training (VET) is faced with the challenge of developing 21st century learners for rapidly changing workforces. As the industry is impacted by external market forces, greater digitalisation, and access to learning, learning must evolve. In this research, we propose VET can be enhanced by harnessing self-directed learning (SDL) through 'play' (beyond games). Through phenomenological investigation, a diversity of learners' experiences of SDL and players' experiences of 'play' are unearthed. The former through focus groups and interviews, the latter thematic analysis of online discussion boards. Results make numerous contributions to scholarship and practice through extending cognitive, emotional, and environmental dimensions of the 'fundamental processes of learning' into the domain of SDL in VET. These dimensions are synthesised with a diversity of compelling experiences of 'play', to provide six 'learner-centered' tenets of harnessing play in self-directed VET and 11 VET examples situated at specific stages of learning.