In an effort to explore the relationship between employed students and community colleges, this paper provides a extensive review of the literature on business and industry connections to higher education. First, introductory material examines the lack of comprehensive training programs in U.S. business/industry and the dearth of evaluative…

A study was undertaken to describe how changes in the network of transactions that occur between manufacturers and suppliers have affected the scope and nature of training and related human resource practices within supplier firms. Data came from the published literature, expert opinion, and a phone survey of 15 individuals ranging from…

Although several fundamental forces are changing the American economy and the American work force, three conditions are pivotal--demographic change, technological change coupled with shifting conditions of competition, and the continuing inadequacies of both public- and private-sector employment and training policies. The employment and training…

Four major trends reshaping the American economy are having a tremendous effect on the number and nature of jobs in the United States: (1) corporate downsizing; (2) the outsourcing of work and services; (3) increasing use of "contingent" workers; and (4) the increasing income disparity between high school and college graduates. These trends have…

ISVOR (Societa di Sviluppo e Addestramento Industriale) was incorporated in 1978 as an independent organization owned by Fiat to provide all training services. In 1988, in the area of technical training alone, ISVOR offered 534 different training programs to over 29,500 participants, in a total of approximately 348,000 man/days. Four…

Profound changes in the economy and the labor market have an effect on the role of employer-sponsored training in preparing and educating the country's work force. On the demand side of the labor market, these changes include the increase in international trade, the changing economic status of the United States relative to its trading partners,…

Work force development systems have three primary subsystems: youth development and preparation for employment, adult work force entry, and worker retraining and transition assistance. Programs targeting youth pose one of the greatest challenges to those striving to develop or improve work force development systems. School-to-work will not…

Worker displacement is a priority human resource issue that must be resolved to improve economic productivity, to further revitalize the American economy, and to cope with growing international competition. The work force and work place of the 1980s are undergoing changes that could result in ever larger scale joblessness. These changes include…

Productivity is a major issue in every discussion about the national economy. There is growing evidence that lagging productivity is one of the roots of the national economic slowdown, manifested in high rates of inflation and unemployment, increased federal deficits, and in reduced ability to compete in international markets. Many economists…

Because their fiscal health depends on having a large base of high-wage taxpayers, states have an economic interest in increasing their citizens' skill levels. In today's global economy, high wages are increasingly tied to the high skills required to function successfully in high performance work organizations. Employer-provided skill upgrading…

The perception that the United States is falling behind in the skills race has prompted experts to look abroad for policy ideas. Of particular interest has been the German "dual system," which alternates 2 to 3 years of highly structured work-based training with classroom teaching for young people, beginning at age 16. Buoyed by the success of the…

Implications for universities of high technology industries and the labor market are unclear. There is a need to ease the transition for those categories of workers who will be affected: women, low- and medium-skill workers in manufacturing, and certain categories of middle-level managers. The provision of highly qualified personnel is the…

A digital divide, a chasm between those with access to technology and training, particularly workplace information technology (IT) skills and those without, threatens the economic prosperity of American workers and America's competitiveness. The most effective way to reduce digital disparities is to improve the education and training of the…

Changing employer-based training represents one strategy that U.S. firms are adopting to confront recent transformations in the global economy. The new competitive conditions place new and different demands on workers, more of whom are being called upon to use technical, conceptual, and communications skills. Approaches to training in particular…

This document, resulting from a 3-year study, provides an overview of technical training in the United States, examines the occupations and workers defined as technical, describes where and how technical training is produced and delivered, and discusses the connection between technical training and the strategic goals of the organization. The…