With the skyrocketing costs of higher education and the increased scrutiny of how educational institutions prepare graduates for the workplace, this dissertation explored how the "outsiders," or employers, view and determine the value of academic credentials. Using the premise of credentialism, this grounded theory, qualitative study…

Career technical education plays an important part in the mission of community colleges--providing educational opportunities needed by members of their communities. Career technical programs prepare students for entry into the workforce. Accountability standards for career technical programs, from local, state, and federal bodies, monitor…

This summary document highlights findings from CNA's study, "Manufacturing a Way to Career Readiness: How Industry Measures Student Readiness" (ED612988). In the study, CNA Education examined how central Kentucky employers in a high-wage, high-growth industry--advanced manufacturing--determine the readiness and additional training needs…

More clarity on career readiness and how to measure it would help educators prepare students for adult life and inform industry professionals who hire young adults. This report is a step in providing that information by exploring how a high-wage, high-growth industry--advanced manufacturing--determines the readiness and additional training needs…

Although the system of educational credentials differs in many important ways from country to country, all western countries have experienced a similar trend in the form of an increasing number of graduate degrees. Graduate degrees have also taken on a bewildering range of forms and content. As a consequence, not all graduate degrees have the same…

Just as American business and industry need workers with higher skills to compete in a global economy, workers need higher skills to get ahead. This convergence presents an opportunity for states to work with their community colleges and other key partners to help business and industry compete and entry-level workers advance to higher-paying jobs.…

Eager to resolve a 30-year debate over the number, standards, length, and title of pharmacy degree programs, 3 of the largest pharmacy professional associations have released a joint statement calling for a new doctorate as the sole entry-level degree for pharmacists. An association of retail community pharmacies strongly opposes the move. (MSE)

A Delphi panel of 24 hiring managers, human resource specialists, business owners, and cooperative educators ranked entry-level skills and acceptable proofs of proficiency. Highest-rated skills involved interpersonal relationships. Traditional proofs (resumes, transcripts, references, testing) remained important. Nontraditional proofs…

It is proposed that the dental profession eliminate entry-level clinical state board examinations in favor of licensure based on successful completion of an accredited curriculum and successful completion of Parts I and II of the National Board Examination. A 10-point strategy for accomplishing this goal is outlined. (MSE)

Over the past few decades, the economic prospects for workers possessing relatively few skills have worsened as the demand for skills in the labor market has increased. Even in jobs that might be categorized as low-skilled, workers require a diverse set of skills to succeed. Many of these skills can only be obtained through schooling or job…

The purposes of this conference were to clarify the role of health educators, to identify institutional responsibilities in credentialing health educators, to examine the credentialing process as it applies to the preparation of health educators, and to establish criteria for the entry-level health educator. Participants, health educators from…

Development of the credentialing system for health education specialists began in February 1978, when a conference was convened to consider the profession's interest in credentialing and develop an initial role specification for entry-level health educators. In the early 1980s, the role specification was verified and refined, the process of…

The question of how to best prepare nurses for practice continues to be debated extensively. The crux of the debate is whether a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) should be required of all registered nurses in the United States or whether an associate degree in nursing (ADN) and diploma programs adequately prepare novice nurses for practice.…