To meet the demands of jobs, now and in the future, jobseekers should possess a variety of skills frequently requested by employers. Skills can be both academic and technical in nature but also include personal qualities and advanced cognitive skills, such as decision-making and interpersonal skills--referred to in this report as success skills.…

Abundant research conducted in many countries has underlined the critical role of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in developing human capital in fields important to a nation's global competiveness and prosperity. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States, recent long-term policy plans emphasize the ever-increasing need…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to inform the preparation of HRD professionals by providing an empirical analysis of the knowledge, skills, and responsibilities employers expect in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach: This study reports a qualitative content analysis of online HRD job postings. Findings: Results of this content…

Paraeducators perform multiple roles in U.S. classrooms, including among others preparing classroom activities, working with students individually and in small groups, supporting individualized programming for students with disabilities, managing classroom behavior, and engaging with parents and communities. Yet, little research provides insights…

Numerous countries suffer from a shortage of technicians and skilled workers, particularly in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), due to a mismatch between the skills and interests of the students graduating from or leaving the current education system and the needs of the labor market. Often, parents and students…

Vietnam is at a pivotal point in positioning itself within the global economy. As organisations and government agendas are pushing for a more skilled workforce, it is evident that Vietnam has to deal with the implications for the changing educational landscape. This article presents a review of the literature related to study abroad, looking at…

Across the country, large numbers of young people are dreaming about and planning on attending college. A poll released in 2005 showed that 87 percent of all young people want to go to college. Often, however, parents' and students' dreams for the future are not being realized. Many young people never enroll in a postsecondary institution, and of…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to analyse the conceptual approaches to competence and practice in competence management in France. Design/methodology/approach: Extensive literature review, discussion with academic experts in the French competence network of AGRH and interviews concerning developments following the 2003 national agreement…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to explore diversity in competence models across Europe and consider the extent to which there is sufficient common ground for a common European approach to underpin the European Qualifications Framework. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses a literature review and interviews with policy makers.…

Debates surround whether high-tech or low-tech jobs are fastest growing and whether technology increases or decreases skill requirements. Technology education can aid productivity improvement by reinforcing academic content, enhancing higher-order skills, and promoting active involvement with technology. (SK)

Two significant reports that were published recently have important implications for policymakers, employers, and literacy workers. "Workforce 2000," commissioned by the U.S. Department of Labor, is intended to help shape federal workplace policies and programs as the nation moves toward the next century. The report documents labor patterns and…

The research on the demand for skills in the U.S. economy is split over the issue of whether technological change has tended to increase or decrease job skill requirements. The question of whether job skill requirements have been rising is important to public policy debates concerning the skill gap, wage inequality, and the changing quality of…

Increased global competition and rapidly changing labor markets are providing a new imperative for relevance and quality assurance in education. This imperative is driving a consensus around the need for standards that link the content of education and training to the demands of the workplace. The national framework for improving relevance and…

Three important human capital questions must be addressed by U.S. policy makers: What are the effects of employer-sponsored training? Do employers invest enough in employee training? and How will accelerating technological change affect the need for employer-sponsored training and for complementary investments in education? Four policy…

This report summarizes the results of a project conducted to document the skills and behaviors that have been identified as essential for a work force facing the challenges of global competition in an environment of rapidly changing markets. The workplace competencies and foundation skills defined in "Skills and Tasks for Jobs: A SCANS…