Reliable and consistent time series are essential to any kind of economic forecasting. Skills forecasting needs to combine data from national accounts and labour force surveys, with the pan-European dimension of Cedefop's skills supply and demand forecasts, relying on different international classification standards. Sectoral classification (NACE)…

Though not extensively researched, third-party employee competency certifications are increasingly important to organizations. Certifications are double-edged: they may serve to reduce transaction costs, enhance performance, and foster employee development; but they can also be used as "credentials" to gain prestige, rewards, or influence. The…

Purpose--The paper seeks to explore workers' learning in relation to the racialized and gendered organization of contingent work. Design/methodology/approach--This paper is informed by Marxist theorization of labour power and learning. It draws on the interview data of 24 highly educated immigrant women from the research project "Skilled In…

Written for the Australian general reader who wants to understand important trends in vocational education and training, this document describes skills audits and provides an annotated list of publications for those who want more information. The first section defines skills audits as identification of the skills required and held by the work…

The bibliography provides a chronological survey of the development, growth, and application of the concept of Functional Job Analysis (FJA) which provides for the formulation of qualifications of workers and the requirements of jobs in the same terms so that the one can be equated with measures of the other. An introductory section discusses FJA,…

A work analysis was conducted to determine whether the job of lathe and milling machine operator is suitable for young adults with one arm or hand. The analysis concluded that it is suitable but adjustments of the workplace may be necessary, such as transporting heavy equipment. The importance of labor research to vocational rehabilitation is…

A study identified trends influencing the literacy requirements of two entry-level jobs at each of three manufacturing sites and three hospital sites. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and focus groups with workers, employers, and union representatives. Materials that workers were expected to read were analyzed. The study…

The extension of the 1989 Institute of Employment Research (IAB)/Prognos projection of the sectoral and job-specific labor force demand by levels of qualification shows that the previous trends toward higher qualification requirements of jobs is expected to continue in Germany. The main reasons are the significant shift in favor of secondary…

Written for the Australian general reader who wants to understand important trends in vocational education and training, this document consists of a description of competency-based training (CBT) and assessment, a short test of readers' CBT understanding, and an annotated bibliography. The introduction states the aims of the document, lists five…

Job outlook information forecasts the growth and decline of jobs in the near future--usually for a 10-year period. The purpose of this information is to help individuals understand where future employment opportunities may occur, but the individual must also consider his/her skills and interests and the level of education needed to accomplish…

Vermont's Welfare Restructuring Project (WRP), which was implemented in 1994-2001, required that single-parent welfare recipients who could not find wage-paying jobs after receiving cash assistance for 30 months accept work in subsidized, minimum-wage community service employment (CSE) positions to satisfy their work requirement and improve their…

This publication contains a summary of the literature and research review conducted in order to identify personal/social skills and characteristics important to getting and keeping jobs. Also included are the results obtained from surveys conducted with employees who were graduates of postsecondary vocational technical programs, employees who hire…

This four-part package is designed to assist Australian workshop leaders running 2-day workshops on skills analysis, skills audit, and training needs analysis. Part A contains information on how to use the package and a list of workshop aims. Parts B, C, and D consist, respectively, of the workshop leader's guide; overhead transparency sheets and…

A series of roundtable discussions, designed to bring together employers and educators in small and informal sessions to discuss youth employment and related issues, was held in Birmingham, Hartford, Los Angeles, Houston, and Chicago. The discussions yielded policy implications in five major areas. These are access to the private sector,…

This document, which is intended as the companion to a two-volume study of European trends in the development of occupations and qualifications, contains reference materials to assist policymakers and practitioners in accessing research findings and formulations on key issues of training and development. The document begins with an overview of the…