The study described in this report was undertaken to provide a comprehensive understanding of the magnitude and scope of the present contingent work force and the potential of the contingent work force as a mechanism for assisting minority and female workers to enter into the mainstream work force. The study first examined the literature and body…

Profound changes in the economy and the labor market have an effect on the role of employer-sponsored training in preparing and educating the country's work force. On the demand side of the labor market, these changes include the increase in international trade, the changing economic status of the United States relative to its trading partners,…

A study was undertaken to determine whether vocational and special educators differed from employers on the entry-level employment skills and characteristics that are needed to be gainfully employed in the competitive labor force in the Lewiston-Auburn area in Maine. A questionnaire was mailed to a sample of 110 secondary-level vocational and…

Compares employers' stated needs for entry-level workers possessing better academic skills with their training programs and hiring practices to supposedly meet this need. Discovers a dichotomy between the stated needs and the corrective practice. Most remedial training emphasizes short-term job skills and hiring practices do not reward academic…

North Carolina employers were asked to evaluate the skills possessed by graduates of the state's educational institutions. The study also profiled any problems employers had in finding qualified applicants for positions. Baseline data were collected to profile education and training programs provided by employers. A random sample of 2,334…

Seventeen small and mid-sized employers from Annie E. Casey Foundation Jobs Initiative sites addressed the challenges of recruiting, retaining, and promoting frontline workers. Employers shared collaboration experiences with Jobs Initiatives sites to develop effective, efficient strategies to prepare and support low-income residents. Firms relied…

Using a review of literature and data collected from worker and employer surveys, a study examined on-the-job training and its implications. Among the factors analyzed were the following: (1) on-the-job training as an investment in human capital; (2) measures of on-the-job training; (3) who receives on-the-job training; (4) how well do we measure…

A stratified random sample of Virginia's 4,000 employers with over 100 employees was surveyed about workplace-based foundational basic skills (oral and written communication, reading, math, thinking skills, teamwork, English proficiency, and basic computer literacy). A total of 446 surveys were sent with a usable response rate of 18 percent.…

A project involving educators and business leaders in southwestern Connecticut was undertaken to develop an intensive, competency-based business course to provide high school students with the skills to fill entry-level administrative support positions. The project was designed to: (1) recruit and motivate students with high potential for success…

The capabilities expected of technological workers upon entry into employment were examined. Data were collected through a review of the pertinent literature and an in-person, instrument-guided interview survey of a representative sample of representatives of approximately 250 manufacturing enterprises in nine sectors. The literature review…

This document is the first in a series of two reports on demand-led strategies to support welfare-to-work clients. The authors believe employment retention programs that demonstrate they can meet the needs of employers for effective employees follow a demand-led approach, which has the potential to expand the opportunities available to welfare…

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) needs to focus more directly on what happens in the workplace and consider the needs of employers. Employers identify skill levels of both job applicants and employees as a major obstacle to employing and retaining TANF recipients and other entry-level workers as well as the cost of entry-level…

A project was conducted to improve the state of Washington's community and technical college system by developing and using an improved occupational forecasting system to assess and respond to education and training needs. First, long-term occupational forecast data from Washington's Employment Security Department were matched with technical and…

Occupational supply and demand in Washington State was examined by comparing projected supplies of skilled workers coming out of the state's community and technical colleges against the projected demand among Washington employers for people qualified to enter particular occupations. The analysis was based on a January 2000 report, information…