The OECD Survey of Adult Skills is the jewel in the crown of its Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). This paper argues that the findings and policy lessons from the project to date justify the high hopes which were placed in PIAAC when detailed planning for the project began in 2003. First, it presents a brief…

This first "OECD Skills Outlook" presents the initial results of the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC), which evaluates the skills of adults in 22 OECD member countries and two partner countries. The PIAAC survey was designed to provide insights into the availability of some key skills and how they are used at work and at home through the…

Discusses the development of soft skills such as management and sales or collaborative problem solving through the use of interactive distance education. Highlights include performance support, including interpersonal skills; long-term cognitive restructuring; and linking training to organizational goals. (Author/LRW)

Skills tutorials for first year engineering students at the University of New South Wales, Australia, were introduced in order to develop an awareness of certain conceptual skills commonly exercised by practicing engineers. Particular skills include the manipulation of information in different forms, translation from one form to another,…

In a report on leadership research for the U.S. Army, three papers dealing with soft skills analysis and training are presented. "What Are Soft Skills?" describes a questionnaire designed to clarify the terms "hard" and "soft" skills. Soft skills are defined as important job-related skills that involve little or no…

This occupational analysis data was assembled to help cosmetology instructors develop a course of study. Following a job description for a cosmetologist, the remainder of the content in standard task analysis format presents an analysis of twelve cosmetologist duties (tasks). Each of the twelve duties is broken down into its components (one or…

A study used the Vocational-Technical Education Consortium of States (V-TECS) workplace skills inventory in a validation exercise for use of the inventory in Hawaii. A facilitator reduced the size of the V-TECS instrument. The resulting document was tested using several colleagues of the principal investigator before it was used in the field. The…

This occupational analysis data was assembled to help teachers develop a course of study preparing students for employment in the agricultural supply businesses and/or services. Following a job description for employees in agribusinesses and/or services, the remainder of the content in standard task analysis format presents an analysis of twelve…

This occupational analysis data was assembled to help instructors develop a course of study for commercial cleaners at the entry level. Following a job description for an institutional or commercial cleaner, the remainder of the content in standard task-analysis format presents an analysis of ten commercial cleaner duties (tasks). Each of ten…

THE TWO MAJOR PHASES OF THIS RESEARCH WERE (1) ANALYZING TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION TO IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE PRIMARY VOCATIONAL SKILLS, AND (2) DEVELOPING AND EVALUATING NINE SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL UNITS. THREE INSTRUMENTS WERE USED IN ANALYZING VOCATIONAL CONTENT SOURCES TO IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE GENERAL BEHAVIORS AS WELL AS TRADE-SPECIFIC…

This occupational analysis data was assembled to help broadcasting arts teachers develop a course of study in program management for junior and senior high school students. Following a job description for a program manager, the remainder of the content in standard task analysis format presents an analysis of nine program management duties (tasks).…