This paper explores the role of collective contradictions in the development of participants in a group employment programmes. It presents an analysis, rooted in cultural-historical activity theory, of longitudinal data collected during an intervention aimed at social and professional reintegration of people living a long-term unemployment…

This report summarizes the two-year findings of a rigorous random assignment evaluation of the WorkAdvance model, a sectoral training, and advancement initiative. Launched in 2011, WorkAdvance goes beyond the previous generation of employment programs by introducing demand-driven skills training and a focus on jobs that have career pathways. The…

This paper explores the experiences of graduates who participated in a range of Active Labour Market Programmes (ALMPs) in Ireland. The paper uses narrative structuring to provide an enhanced understanding of the graduates' experiences. A review of the literature indicates that most empirical studies of the effects of ALMPs are quantitative.…

New and improved institutions are needed to support the transition to adulthood of vulnerable young people. Existing institutions that should provide that support demonstrate structural lag: they have not adapted to changing circumstances. Action research was conducted in Por un Manana, an employment training program for low-income youth and young…

Background: Australia has few policies to support the transition of older people with intellectual disability from employment to retirement. This study aimed to identify the possibilities and barriers to retirement for older employees in supported employment services. Method: Five distinct participant groups discussed retirement in 6 separate…

Childcare workers play a significant role in the learning and development of children in their care. This has major implications for the training of workers. Under new reforms of the childcare industry, the Australian government now requires all workers to obtain qualifications from a vocational education and training provider (e.g. Technical and…

With the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (P.L. 104-193) of 1996, also known as the Welfare-to-Work Act, Aid to Families with Dependent Children was abolished and replaced with Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). A new system of block grants to states for TANF was created, changing the…

Of 596 service delivery areas (SDAs) administering the Job Training Partnership Act, 583 participated in a telephone survey regarding private industry council (PIC) and SDA activities. It was found that the number of local jurisdictions responsible for administering federally funded employment and training programs increased by 26 percent.…

Interviews with 34 persons with developmental disabilities in supported employment indicated that the majority liked their jobs, were satisfied with the help that their job coach had provided, had a voice in choosing their job, would rather work in the community than attend a workshop, and reported having friends at work. (Author/JDD)

The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to identify support systems for supervisors of people with moderate special needs (MSN) in training internships and employment situations. A questionnaire was mailed to 105 cooperating practitioners who had served in previous years as on-site supervisors (ONS) for students in a job…

In 1992, a follow-up study was conducted by the Washington community colleges of students who had been enrolled in dislocated workers' programs between 1986 and 1990. The study sought to determine the current status of the students in terms of re-employment, job search skill development, and attitudes towards the programs. Study findings, based on…

The report describes the results of a study of the employment of Vietnam-era veterans with service-connected disabilities, their major problems in seeking and holding a job, and possible solutions. Data were obtained from; mail surveys of both disabled veterans and employers regarding employment; personal interviews with veterans and employers;…

The Vermont study details employer responses to a two-phase survey designed to gauge employer receptivity to the use of wage subsidies in the private sector. The "mail survey" obtained from a sample of 1,084 employers (of whom 71% responded) elicited responses to a limited number of questions, while the "face-to-face survey"…

The emphasis of a formative evaluation research study was on identifying exemplary linkage arrangements between the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) and education service providers in Virginia. The study had two primary phases: the case study phase (an exploratory and issue-generating process) and the judicial evaluation model--JEM…

The problem of attrition often arises in longitudinal studies when the researcher is unable to gather follow-up information for a sizeable percentage of the study participants at one or more of the planned follow-up stages. Since non-respondents frequently differ in important ways from respondents, the findings based solely on the respondents are…