The United States has provided generations of its residents with the prospect of advancing themselves through education and hard work, and U.S. leaders have the opportunity to make sure this continues for generations to come. To do so, they must handle the national deficit in a decisive, thoughtful manner, ensuring a prosperous future for the…

The authors express reservations about additional federal funding for the National Science Foundation, including new funding for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education programs, provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. For more than 50 years, American political, business, military, and academic leaders…

The most serious problem with the current work force preparation system is that many employment and training programs operate today to serve roughly the same people. Instead, these programs should be coordinated better to lower costs in the face of lowered funding. The General Accounting Office reports that about 125 federal programs do…

This hearing is a continuation of a bipartisan effort to consolidate, reform, and revitalize federally funded job training programs. Testimony includes statements of U.S. senators and individuals representing the following: National Association of State Job Training Coordinating Council and Human Resource Investment Council; American Federation of…

This essay seeks to illustrate the broad contours of federal assistance for vocational education and training by describing the wide range of federal programs that support occupational education and training. (SSH)

Reviews the history of workforce development in the United States and lists issues to frame public policy: governance structure, funding targets, quality measures, accountability, and data collection. Identifies current legislative initiatives: School-to-Work Opportunities Act, Goals 2000, and National Skills Standards Act. (SK)

This article presents an interview with Emily Stover DeRocco, Assistant Secretary of the Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. In this interview, the assistant secretary answers probing questions about the Community College Initiative, the workforce system, and the training funds directed through the workforce system.

The federal proposal for Job Training 2000 is criticized for ignoring 30 years of job training programs. It would shift responsibility among existing programs but would not provide needed resources to train more workers. (SK)

Vocational education programs cannot and should not serve all the population groups targeted by the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA). Rather, they should and must collaborate and cooperate with the manpower community. In order to do that five major policy issues need to be dealt with: getting agreements to collaborate, prime…

Reviews education and training aspects of Clinton proposals and recommends funding of prenatal care, Head Start, and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); parenting training for WIC, Head Start, and welfare recipient parents; revival of career education; expansion of cooperative education and tech prep; assessment of national standards and…

The Clinton Administration's job training proposal should not be used to create new bureaucracy. Rather, college-level industrial technology and vocational programs are well suited to undertake the training needed by businesses and workers. (SK)

Examines conditions perpetuating stereotypes of occupational programs, students, and faculty as inferior, suggesting ways of promoting occupational education. Assesses federal involvement in occupational education. Recommends a national master plan for occupational education and a marketing approach to planning to realize a new community college…

As a result of a report from the National Commission on Excellence in Education recognizing the crisis in science, math, and technology training, and the increasing need for skilled manpower critical to economic growth and national defense, the federal government has proposed several bills for educational advancement. The President has signed into…

A 38-member Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) advisory committee was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Labor to review the country's employment and training policy, especially as focused in the JTPA, and to make recommendations for improvement. The committee found that two interdependent problems face the United States: a widening gap…

The issues of harmonization and autonomy as they affect vocational education and manpower policy development and the implementation of program service delivery are analyzed. Some of the background issues that have affected the relationship of vocational education and manpower, in particular the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), are…