This essay contends that the notion of new jobs created by technological advance is a myth; that in reality the direction is a persistent downgrading of skills and elimination of jobs. The potentially serious effects of these trends on society, and implications for vocational education, are discussed. (JB)

This working paper serves as a preview of the second in a series of four policy briefs that will explore the nexus between postsecondary education and workforce development. The completed policy brief will focus on a number of questions about California's workforce and examine economic and workforce trends in California, including projected…

Technology and international competition have transformed business practices and employment patterns. The migration of high-paying jobs from manufacturing to services, the growing importance of small firms in the U.S. economy, and the development of new technical occupations characterized by often sophisticated technologies and the absence of…

This study examines the significant role of computers in the transformation of the Canadian employment structure. An executive summary appears in English and French. Following an introduction, Section 2 discusses how the role of computerization of the employment structure is viewed in the literature. Section 3 presents an overview of past…

This book focuses on the ongoing revolution in work. Downsizing, entrepreneurship, businesses within businesses, and the quality of work life are discussed, with emphasis on how one can survive and prosper in this environment. The 17 chapters of the book are organized in five parts. In Part 1, "New Work for A New Era of Prosperity," the chapters…

A pressing problem in the United States today is that of employment: how to create enough jobs and, especially, what impact high technology will have on present and future jobs as well as educational need. Some policymakers see high technological industries as the basis for revitalizing the economy. The major challenge to education and training,…

This paper provides an overview of the growth of new technology industries in Great Britain and the skills needed for these industries. The industries are advanced materials, biotechnology, and opto-electronics. The report profiles the current status, expected growth, and skills needed for each of these industry sectors. It also points out the…

The effects of globalization and rapid technological change on emerging occupational patterns in Australia need to be understood in order to understand their implications for the effects on education and vocational training. Building on the classification scheme introduced by Robert Reich in his 1992 book, the Work of Nations, Australian…

This package consists of a work force development recruitment videotape and companion career development curriculum guidebook that are designed to help practitioners encourage females of all ages to consider training for high-wage computer-based technical jobs. The 15-minute videotape discusses things women want from employment, benefits and…

The most significant factors affecting the labor market during the 1980s were the United States' loss of competitiveness in the world marketplace, continued shifts in production from goods to services, changes in the skill requirements of many jobs, and demographic shifts in the population. During the next decade, incompatibility between the type…

New apprenticeships were introduced to Australia in January 1998 to provide practical training opportunities to a wider range of people than the traditional trade-based apprenticeship system did. The effect of the new apprenticeship initiative on the type of employment-based training being undertaken in Australia was studied by analyzing data from…

This document contains 12 papers on vocational education and training (VET) and related research that were developed for a 1998 European research report titled "Training for a Changing Society." The following papers are included: "Foreword" (Stavros Stavrou, Manfred Tessaring); "Institutional Framework Conditions and…

This book, which is designed for the general reader who is planning to enter the job market or contemplating a career change, contains basic information about the jobs and the employment outlook; finding a job; employer and employee rights and obligations; balancing home and work; education and training; and self-employment, small business and…

The rise of the office economy and its impact on vocational education and training (VET) in Australia were examined by replicating the methodology used in Carnevale and Rose's U.S. study on the impact of the new office economy. Both studies took a functional approach to analyzing economic activities and the work force and focused primarily on…

This book, which is intended primarily for Australia's vocational education and training (VET) sector, industry decision makers, and policymakers, provides an overview of occupational trends and the current training effort relating to occupations in Australian industry. Chapter 1 traces economic and labor market changes and the changing…