Technology presents incredible new potential in opening 'learning to earning' pathways for traditionally marginalised groups, such as displaced young people, adolescent girls and young women. Developing and scaling digitally powered learning for displaced populations can provide alternative opportunities to those who have lost access public…

Rural areas depend upon community colleges to train people for the fields that match their regions' current and growing needs. To do so, these colleges must keep abreast of the employment trends in their area, be aware of where jobs have been lost and where they are being gained and determine how to recruit students who might be reluctant to be…

The collapse of the global economy in 2008 had a devastating impact on manufacturing and other sectors across Canada. Displaced workers were unprepared for the demands of the new knowledge-based economy and found that they required retraining to secure employment in modern, highly technical workplaces. In Ontario, the introduction of the Second…

Workers are remaining in the labor force at older ages and despite their desire to work, those without jobs face unprecedented durations of unemployment. Many of the unemployed lack current skills for jobs in demand and need to either upgrade their skills or be trained for a new occupation to become reemployed. An aging workforce combined with…

The city of Las Vegas, Nevada has experienced a slowdown in tourism, a drop in property taxes and consolidated tax revenue used to support the city's operating budget, and a lack of economic diversification. Because of these changes, the ability of displaced workers to learn marketable employment skills continues to be an important issue for the…

Frank Parsons (1909) founded the vocational guidance movement more than 100 years ago within the context of a shift from an agricultural to an industrial workplace. Today, globalization, workforce diversity, and the financial instability related to the Great Recession present numerous challenges to workers across the economic spectrum. In addition…

High-tenured displaced workers often experience significant earnings losses that persist for the rest of their working lives. A well-targeted training initiative has the potential to substantially reduce permanent earnings losses for those displaced workers who have the academic preparation, work experience, and interest to complete high-return…

As the U.S. economy slowly rebounds, the nation's community colleges are focused on putting Americans back to work. Across the country, training programs in emerging career fields, including nuclear, wind, and clean coal production, vie for the attention of job seekers in search of a more secure financial future. But these shiny new careers aren't…

When it comes to curriculum, certifying and training, no industry is more challenged to keep current than the information technology field (IT). IT industry professionals experience constant changes in computer software and hardware. As one of the top fields listed nationally, IT training programs are thriving at the Warren County Career Center…

For the past 20 years, researchers worldwide have shared a consensus that tracking leads to failure in school. But educational systems continue to use this practice for many reasons. One argument used to support the practice is that students who enter the vocational track early in their careers tend to enter the labour market more quickly. Data…

When one hears the word "college", the first image one might have is of ivy-covered buildings on a tree-lined campus. The thing is, this image is largely inaccurate, and everyday it becomes further removed from reality. It belies the fact that less than 20 percent of today's college freshmen fit the traditional profile--that is, young…

This paper discusses the importance of effective training and workforce development programs as part of a broader strategy to increase the competitiveness of American workers. Although rapid technological change and increasing global competition have delivered great economic benefits to the U.S. economy overall, the development of new and more…

This year has been a very difficult one for the average American worker. Many of them have seen significant job losses in their communities, particularly in fields that appeared relatively stable a short time ago. There is no doubt that this past year has brought to light the need for skilled workers. To help prepare a skilled workforce, the Obama…

To date, no research has examined the AB degree through a state policy lens or has acknowledged the scope of involvement of 4-year colleges and universities. This omission limits current understanding of the AB degree as a potential contributor to the higher education system and to the nation's college completion agenda in particular. The primary…

The purpose of this study was to determine how well former employees at a television glass manufacturing plant were able to find employment in a new field of study following graduation from a local community college. The majority of participants were able to find reemployment, albeit at a lower salary. In addition, information was obtained…