As more and more organizations are utilizing media such as videotape, electronic mail, computer-based training, and video-conferencing, the role of the media professional becomes more crucial. The responsible media communicator must be cognizant of the ethical concerns of the consultant and adapt these to the special needs of the client and the…

A study questioned 12 human resource personnel, corporation managers, and diversity trainers about their perceptions of diversity training needs in Pacific Northwest high tech organizations. The overarching research questions for the study were as follows: (1) What are the most frequently reported diversity training needs among human resource…

A New York-based corporation found that communication difficulties between native and non-native English speakers were limiting company efficiency and were obstructing the professional progress of nonnative speakers who were otherwise competent employees. Phonology, especially intonation patterns made continuous discourse hard to grasp, while some…

Interviews with six managers trained to teach the Interpersonal Managing Skills (IMS) program at the Lockheed Missiles and Space Company provided insights into three aspects of communication training programs: training skills, the trainer role, and methods of training the trainer. A highly structured, packaged program, IMS teaches five…

Observation of machine or production operators in a Singapore factory for insight into their need for English language skills, existing skills, and the results of a basic English language program in which many were enrolled revealed that, although the workers were generally poorly educated and had minimal English skills, they were able to decode…

The evolution of the Workplace Education Service that operates in South Australia is chronicled. Begun as a single program designed to integrate workplace literacy, English as a Second Language, and literacy education for both native and non-native English-speakers in an automobile plant, the project grew into a network of programs and services in…

The demand for skilled technical editors is growing as society places increasing emphasis on receiving accurate, concise, and complete technical data. Since many organizations do not have inhouse programs for training technical editors, a need exists to provide inexperienced people with basic editing skills. One organization has developed two…

Most corporate funds for workplace literacy programs are invested in intermediate literate workers. Questions regarding these learners concern what should be expected of them; what they should expect of workplace literacy programs; who or what should determine these criteria; and ramifications of the answers. Issues that affect the answers are the…

Job Instruction Training (JIT) is a step-by-step, relatively simple technique used to train employees on the job. It is especially suitable for teaching manual skills or procedures; the trainer is usually an employee's supervisor but can be a co-worker. The JIT technique consists of a series of steps that a supervisor or other instructor follows…

Mass production, introduced into the factories of the United States in the early 1900s, required workers who were trained to be cooperative, loyal to the company, and possessed specific job skills to operate the machinery. To produce these workers, American corporations turned away from the educational programs of the public schools, and began to…

Inplant training has begun to be used as a strategy to improve access and the relevance of training by the Human Employment and Resource Training (HEART) Trust/National Training Agency (NTA) in Jamaica. Inplant training is presented as a viable, efficient, and relevant method of providing induction and upgrading training for industry. In this…

To meet the vocational needs of the college's new clientele and to update faculty knowledge and skills, Hagerstown Junior College initiated a five-year program designed to return all career faculty to industry on a temporary basis. Faculty members requesting a return to industry submitted proposals that specified the area of specialization, the…

Employers have begun to see that one of the keys to corporate success is a workforce of adaptable and agile learners who are constantly upgrading skills. While a gap currently exists between employer needs and qualified employees in the marketplace, businesses have shown themselves to be willing to fill unmet needs. Over 1,000 corporate colleges…

In fall 1995, Vincennes University, a two-year college in Indiana, began offering an "Introduction to Business" course to personnel at a manufacturing company located approximately 5 hours from the college. In spring 1996, the same course was also delivered to a high school located over 2 hours from the college. The course was delivered…

Two forces define a real problem for industries struggling to retain or develop a place in a competitive world market: demographics and the rising level of necessary skills. An examination of Indiana population demographics shows a shortfall of approximately 140,000 workers. The majority of new jobs will require some postsecondary education. The…