A two-year research project was conducted to determine the skills employers consider necessary for the workplace. Recent changes in the economy have made employers begin to realize that they must assist their current and future workers in achieving competency in workplace basics if they are to be competitive. Employers have come to realize the…

Alternative schools in public school districts and private institutions offer a choice of more than one educational option to students. These schools usually have some of the following characteristics: voluntary participation, distinctiveness, nonexclusiveness, comprehensive objectives, and a supportive learning environment. Instructional styles…

Employers need training, want it, and are willing to pay for it providing it is relevant to their requirements, results in improved product quality, and fosters increased productivity. Firm characteristics make a difference not only with regard to the kinds of skills wanted by employers but also with regard to how training can best be delivered.…

This project was begun to explore the feasibility of instituting a personnel exchange program for vocational education--at both the secondary and postsecondary levels--and business and industry in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Following a literature search for other programs and interviews with representatives of business and industry and of…

This packet contains a series of five brochures that discuss workplace literacy program development. Each brochure deals with a specific aspect of such programs and reflects the expertise of several successful program developers and instructors. The brochures cover the following topics: (1) gaining management support; (2) working with management…

The Prince George's County (Maryland) Public Schools and Prince George's Private Industry Council worked together to provide workplace literacy classes at worksites for employees of 10 different employers. Over 300 employees participated in classes in English as a second language or basic skills. Businesses in need of literacy and basic skills…

This monograph presents a summary and analysis of case study reports on three highly used tuition assistance programs. The programs are those of the Education Fund of District Council 37 of AFSCME; Polaroid Corporation's Tuition Assistance Plan; and the Education Opportunities Plan of Kimberly-Clark Corporation. The case studies describe the…

This guide offers a framework for action for employer associations to help their members develop school-to-career programs that reflect the needs of today's workplace. The framework for action covers three areas: (1) identifying the major constituents; (2) understanding the constituents' needs; and (3) helping employers effect change. The…

Employer attitudes toward youth, the youth labor market, and prospects for a national system of youth apprenticeships were studied through a survey of firms that had participated in local youth apprenticeship or cooperative education programs in seven U.S. cities and focus group discussions with small and large employers in eight U.S. communities.…

The Japanese specialization of the University of South Carolina's (USC) Master of International Business Studies (MIBS) program includes a 6-month internship at a foreign or Japanese company in Japan. While foreign companies in Japan are receptive to the assistance American student interns provide, promoting such internships to Japanese companies…

In 1990, a study was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) to determine the feasibility of establishing an insurance program at the college and to assess local employment demand for insurance personnel. The survey instrument and a proposed curriculum for an associate degree program were mailed to 144 area insurance companies and…

A study examined the history, practice, and quality of cooperative education (CE) in two-year colleges in and around Cincinnati, Ohio. CE proved to be firmly ingrained and widespread in Cincinnati. The most common model of CE found in Cincinnati was the "alternating" model, wherein students complete 2-6 cycles of attending school for…

In spring 1997, Arizona repeated a spring 1996 statewide public poll that established baseline measures of public attitudes toward school-to-work (STW). Samples were drawn from three constituent groups: parents, businesses, and educators. Over 2,700 Arizonans participated each year. Overall awareness of STW was up significantly among every group.…

With greater demands being placed on postsecondary education as employers report that graduates have inadequate skills, interest has been generated in assessing student academic achievement in reliable and valid ways. A descriptive case study was used to outline the process that has been developed to identify and implement program outcomes for 55…

This report describes the Career Preparation Initiative in Financial Services (CPI-FS), a tech prep program in financial services based at Harold Washington College and Jones Metropolitan High School. Two key features are the redesign of similar programs operating at both schools to reflect elements of the tech prep model and the use of a large…