In Australia, like many western countries, there has been a convergence of education policy around a set of utilitarian and economistic approaches to vocational education and training in schools. Such approaches are based on the assumption that there is a direct relationship between national economic growth, productivity and human capital…

A major surplus of food products in Europe highlights the need for development of training programs to coordinate agricultural and food industry labor needs and market considerations. These largely traditional industries are changing rapidly. Efforts currently under way are emphasizing the international dimension of the business issues and…

An analysis of the work environment, social roles, work activity, manpower and productivity, and vocational interests of pharmacists suggests the need for broad-based curriculum giving equal emphasis to the administrative, behavioral, and social sciences and to the biological, chemical, and physical sciences. (MSE)

Educational planners will face ten central problems in the next decade. First, there will be a rising demand for education, spurred by continued rapid population growth. Second, educational development will face increasing financial constraints in many countries. Third, educational systems will have to respond to serious shortages of specialized…

Studies have confirmed that there is a strong correlation between employees' levels of basic workplace skills and their productivity in the workplace. Programs to build basic workplace skills have been shown to yield the following positive results: more instances of employees using reading and writing on the job, higher employee participation in…

Describes author's transition from community college to private sector. Offers insights on increasing productivity in both realms, such as enhanced customer focus, high quality educational programs, and improved career guidance, preparation, and placement. (YKH)

According to participants at a conference on a more productive work force, the United States faces many challenges in the workplace. The workplace is changing rapidly, responding to technological advances, and facing increased global competition. Change is the norm, and the United States' competitive advantage increasingly will depend on the…

This monograph is a report on the impact vocational education can have on improving worker productivity. Specifically, the monograph presents a discussion of the relationship between vocational education and productivity and identifies potential areas of impact. The first chapter discusses the concept of productivity and its relationship to…

Two prominent claims underlying educational policy are that jobs by year 2000 will require considerably more education and substantial increases in test scores may powerfully affect productivity. The article suggests that economic concerns with education should think more about contributing to the development of capable human beings than narrow…

The value of education in the workplace is becoming more evident as businesses face the challenges of the 20th century. Teaching and learning will become even more important for corporate success. If corporations are to be more productive, then one must change the way corporations and the people in them are viewed. Employees can no longer be…

One of a series of productivity primers examining the interrelationship among vocational education, productivity, and economic development, this volume consists of a series of 31 quotations by individuals and organizations pertaining to the major issues and concerns involved in the present and future content of vocational education as a major…

Small and mid-sized businesses must change their production and service delivery methods if they are to remain competitive in a global economy. According to businesspersons, service providers, and employees who participated in 18 focus groups in 10 cities throughout the United States, businesses are being forced to change their ways of doing…

The U.S. workplace needs to be transformed. Corporations should replace an approach to production and service that pits labor against management with an approach that unites management and labor in the pursuit of enhanced quality, enhanced responsiveness to the customer, and enhanced productivity. Human resource development is critical to this…

Delegates to this training computer conference agreed that the scope of economic change is both accelerating and profound and, therefore, will require a wide variety of approaches to human resource development. Training is only a small part of this development. To meet future needs, the conferees discussed and made recommendations in four areas:…