The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by Title IV of the Workforce Investment Opportunities Act (WIOA) of 2014, defines Competitive Integrated Employment as, "work that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis for which an individuals is: (a) compensated at or above minimum wage or commensurate with individuals without disabilities…

It is hard to imagine a more critical time for helping the low-skilled and disenfranchised youth in our communities to become gainfully employed. Even as the nation suffers through its worst economic downturn in decades, America's business and industry leaders are predicting an unprecedented shortage of educated and skilled workers to meet the…

Examines the problems associated with youth unemployment in 12 countries. Discusses the impact of major sociological, economic, and educational trends on job and career possibilities. Recommends specific governmental policies and actions based on the case study findings of 18 programs of institutional innovation. (ML)

This paper examines why the Airway Science Program, initiated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop college-educated and technically prepared personnel for FAA employment (primarily for air traffic control), has failed to meet its work force goals. Research data were gathered from interviews with Airway Science Program…

This article describes how the Fair Labor Standards Act, recently reauthorized with regulations published in 1989, governs school-based employment and vocational training programs for students with disabilities. It offers case studies of programs for students with severe handicaps to explain situations often misunderstood by educators and…

The goal of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) is long-term employability. To obtain feedback on the effectiveness of JTPA programs in promoting retention in the labor force, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) requires states and service delivery areas (SDAs) to collect information on the postprogram outcomes of JTPA participants. This…

This paper describes the Deaf Employment Task Force established at a Fortune 500 corporation in Southern California and proposes a model for developing such a task force at other corporations. The task force consisted of an average of 15 managerial and professional individuals, representatives of a deaf employee support group, and a deaf…

This document contains work force development learning objectives formulated from focus and DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) groups conducted by members of the professional development workgroup coordinated by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP). Included are general objectives based on areas of responsibility…

This packet contains seven short guides for activities that help work force development professionals develop their professionalism and establish ties with their peers. The guides cover the following topics: (1) building local peer networks; (2) meeting with other work force development professionals; (3) planning a roundtable; (4) sponsoring…

The long-term employment of 51 moderately mentally retarded clients who were placed into 64 supported employment positions was evaluated relative to 10 training and post-training components in a supported employment training package. Three components differentiated successful from unsuccessful employment: client advocate, collateral behavior, and…

This report contains a compendium of the opinions and concerns of a task force that researched current conditions that affect court-involved youth and identifies the most promising strategies for connecting court-involved youth to the labor market. The report includes three introductory chapters, four chapters related to task force discussion…

This paper, meant to stimulate discussion within the employment and training community, offers a wide range of strategies for keeping clients enrolled in Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) programs. Issues discussed include the following: (1) why retention is important; (2) gathering and analyzing information; (3) links between client recruitment…

The employability of secondary-level youth is considered by a youth employment company official in testimony to the National Commission on Excellence in Education. Attention is directed to ways in which young people, and particularly the economically disadvantaged, can acquire the necessary reading, writing, and math skills for on-the-job success.…

This guide focuses on these two key challenges that states and localities have identified as important for the long-term success of welfare reform and work force development efforts: helping low-income parents sustain employment (steady work) and advance in the work force (better jobs). The guide consists of five parts and is structured to…

This practitioner's guide to helping employment program clients find, retain, and advance in jobs is based on the experiences of Moving Up, an employment program operated by New York's Vocational Foundation, Inc. (VFI). The guide begins with an overview of Moving Up, which has become a national model for helping disadvantaged minority youths…