Criteria lists of academic skills are widely used to assess the work readiness of people who are looking to enter or re-enter the apprenticeship market. These instruments represent a particular hurdle in the path to vocational training for low-skilled would-be trainees. We investigate the validity of one such list used in Germany. As different…

The student workforce plays a substantial part in several low-paying industries such as retail and hospitality, and this has grown over time. However, there has been little recent research. The usual assumption is that students compete successfully with the local labour force for low-skill, part-time jobs, but there is little evidence for this.…

Research on the labour market experiences of highly skilled migrants has revealed the crippling employability challenges they face in the UK workplace resulting from the devaluation of their homeland qualifications and experiences. Studies on highly skilled migrants from Zimbabwe have revealed how migrants have to resort to semi-skilled and…

The institutionalised categorisation of adults who are over 55 years of age, unemployed and low-skilled as "older" and "disadvantaged" may adversely affect their employment prospects and their self-esteem. This paper reports on the findings of a study that explored the experiences of a small group of such adults; in particular,…

The main purpose of this paper is to provide an in-depth analysis of participation in non-formal learning in different European Union member states. The paper also seeks to extend analysis of the training gap by pursuing the distinction between the supply and the demand for skills. We use aggregate data from the Adult Education Survey (Eurostat)…

Examines how union policies regarding training have developed to confront the problems of workers with low skill levels. Looks at the findings of a comparative study of policies in France, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, and Italy. (JOW)

De-industrialisation and the development of the "service economy" have had a profound impact on the nature of work and employment in contemporary Britain. Theories of post- and reflexive modernity argue that individuals are able to reflexively reconstruct their identities in line with new social and workplace requirements. Yet,…

A review of the relevant literature, which is the first of two parts of this study, found that the existing literature is sparse and presents a fragmented picture of the information environment of the blue collar adult. The second part was a pilot survey, undertaken to probe this information environment, and consisted of intensive living room…

A study of 678 unskilled and semiskilled workers found that (1) those receiving on-the-job training were paid less and had less seniority; (2) those with off-the-job training (OFJT) or refresher courses had more seniority and more promotions; (3) OFJT related to lower projected longevity; and (4) educational level was related to pay. (SK)

This paper examines the role of urban schools in an advanced industrial society such as the United States, and the extent to which structural changes in the economy intervene with schooling to determine the social positon of urban workers. It suggests that in order to realistically assess the basic assumptions and rationale for urban school…

A study examined why employers use temporary agency and contract company workers and implications of these practices for wages, benefits, and working conditions of workers in low-skilled labor markets. Case studies in manufacturing (automotive supply), services (hospitals), and public sector (primary and secondary schools) industries defined the…

These nine papers are from a conference held at Brookings Institution on April 3-4, 1980, focusing on subsidizing private sector job creation for workers with structural employment problems. Chapter 1 summarizes the papers and conference proceedings. The remaining nine chapters are divided into three parts consisting of three papers each. Part 1…

Comparative costs of plant maintenance and operations functions, including staffing costs, for higher education institutions are presented for 1980-1981. The objective of the survey data is to promote comparisons of unit costs per gross square foot of the functions classified as maintenance and operations of plant, the number of full-time…

This paper reviews evidence from industry-specific and case studies that shed light on the extent to which computers and automation eliminate jobs, raise job skill requirements, and, consequently, contribute to increased wage inequality between less- and more skilled workers. This paper complements a previous review of large-scale econometric…

This report presents innovative vocational training (VT) initiatives to improve integration of low-skilled workers into lifelong learning and the labor market. Chapter 1 describes study structure and methodology. Chapter 2 addresses the theoretical basis for observing innovations. It analyzes the definition and significance of innovation in system…