A description is provided of the Lower Merrimack Valley Workplace Education Project (WEP), an educational project that offers English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and job-specific education classes to hourly employees in the Semiconductor Division of Alpha Industries. The challenge of the project was to create a WEP that could accommodate the…

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…

Although basic skills and English language instruction are often viewed as real needs at the workplace, few companies provide this for their workers. Those that do are motivated by one or more of these factors: product quality improvement, commitment of top management to training and education, or the sales effort of an educational provider. Those…

A curriculum development project began with a market survey to investigate the demand for training in quality assurance (QA). The project objective was to develop a final study program that would cater to a broad range of employees, from operative to senior management; enable employees to appreciate their potential role within a QA system; and…

The Department of Vocational and Technical Education at the University of Minnesota explored the possibility of incorporating an emphasis on training and development into existing programs. Activities undertaken to determine the need for such a program included extensive interviews with training and development personnel in the Minneapolis/St.…

CONTINUING EDUCATION IS DISCUSSED AS VITAL TO THE PROSPERITY OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY WHEN TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES REQUIRE CONTINUAL READJUSTMENT OF JOB REQUIREMENTS. ROLES OF INDUSTRY, UNIVERSITIES, AND GOVERNMENT COOPERATING TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES, MATERIALS, AND INCENTIVES FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION ARE PROPOSED. DISCUSSIONS INCLUDE--(1) PROBLEMS…

Today's workplace must employ knowledgeable, flexible, efficient, and adaptable workers who are lifelong learners. Adult learners need to be updated on the latest changes in the structure of the business environment. Business programs must respond to corporate and personal development needs by designing curriculum that embraces the management…