This position paper and companion resource manual highlight the critical importance the National Council for Occupational Education (NCOE) gives to diversity issues in work force development. The position paper reports the NCOE's examination of the implications presented by the changing demographics in the U.S. work force and the potential…

This booklet describes the success of tech prep under the federal school-to-work (STW) initiative and provides case studies showing how schools and businesses are using tech prep to create the world's best work force for the new millennium. The first section discusses the payoff from STW, and the second section describes tech prep. Section 3…

This publication is designed to help service providers deliver high-quality workplace development services cost effectively to small and medium-sized businesses. The guide looks at five service delivery strategies: learning consortia, walk-in centers, distance learning, computer-based training, and trained volunteers. These five strategies offer a…

This guide is for employers to use in planning future human resources strategies. Part 1 focuses on three practical strategies germane to most labor and skill shortage problems. The first chapter reviews challenges employers face. Chapter 2 presents two basic strategies for strengthening entry-level recruitment and staffing: strengthening the…

This paper, which is intended as a guide for local government managers responsible for economic development policies, begins with a discussion of typical goals and practices of local economic development programs. Examined next are examples of local government involvement in economic development efforts through policies/activities such as the…

This guide to youth unemployment problems is based on the belief that a comprehensive system of program initiatives offers the best solutions. The principal focus is on vocationally at-risk youth. The first chapter defines and describes the target group, and outlines needs and appropriate responses. The second section describes the following eight…

This guide presents information and materials to help youth programs manage program intake, design an individual service strategy (ISS) as mandated in the Workforce Investment Act, and manage case files. The materials are based on information obtained from staff working in seven successful youth workforce investment programs in Maryland,…

Intended to help business-led coalitions master the seven principles of success in education and workforce development, this primer begins with a discussion of the problems stemming from the structural transition underway in the U.S. economy, an overview of the 21st century workforce system, and the potential role of business-led coalitions in…

This document introduces community leaders and practitioners to innovative approaches to improving workforce literacy by building accessible lifelong learning systems to prepare adults with the array of skills needed to prosper in the new economy. The introduction defines literacy and workforce literacy and outlines the challenges that education,…