This paper calls for a reexamination of the kind of transferable business communication skills that new graduates require as they enter the workforce. Market needs are studied as the focal point for developing relevant exercises to train towards workplace communication competence. The arguments presented in this study are based on an investigation…

The increased complexity of today's work environment has made the need for soft skills, such as teamwork, communication, leadership, and problem solving, more salient than ever. Employers hire for these skills because it is increasingly the human resources that give organizations a competitive advantage. Therefore, academia must respond to these…

When Martin Lancaster took over as president of the North Carolina Community College System more than a decade ago, the state, not unlike much of the nation, stood at the precipice of a massive economic shift. As traditional manufacturing and farming jobs--from tobacco to furniture to textiles--began to disappear, demand for a new breed of worker…

Today's hyper-connected students live in a world of instant interpersonal communications and virtually infinite access to information and educational resources. But this networked world, and the powerful learning tools it offers, has yet to penetrate the typical classroom. In many ways educational institutions are spinning their curricular wheels,…

Palm Beach Community College realigned its curriculum to allow students to seamlessly process through career pathways. Students can start in clock-hour-based instruction and transfer that learning into credit-based associate in science degrees. Along this pathway, students can use exit points to employment with recognized certificates.

By 1980, 50 percent of all Americans were employed in information-related careers, and it is estimated that by 1990, the "Information Society" will have captured 70 percent of careers. The number working in heavy industry today will be reduced 80 percent by the year 2000. As a result of these employment changes, together with the coming…

This paper examines curricular concepts that should be pursued to prepare students for employment; reviews assumptions about higher learning that hinder curricular innovations; and explores curriculum strategies with regard to content, organization, and didactics. Emphasis is on approaches to establishing new curricula to meet changing labor…

This paper discusses technological change and its impact upon society and the educational system. Part I discusses the role of advanced and advancing technologies such as microelectronics and the impact they have had in society and their potential for increasing productivity and economic competitiveness. The section goes on to highlight some of…

Describes the Industry Quality Teams (IQTs) at Florida's Valencia Community College, an institution-wide effort to link the needs of a contemporary workforce to the classroom curriculum. Reviews the structure and functions of the college's six IQTs, indicating that they work to revise curricula, develop partnerships, implement marketing…

This paper examines university-industry cooperation in France. It discusses four successive periods in universities' commitment to professionalizing the curriculum and presents specific strategies that have been adopted, such as work study programs, dividing university training courses into smaller units, and industry-university cooperative…

The Patterns of Linkage project investigated the assumption that linkages between training institutions and employers can reduce discrepancies between training programs and employer demands, and hence increase the employability of youth. The purpose of the study was to examine and describe patterns of linkage between training institutions and…

Discusses the transition from school to work via what is currently being done by many school counselors and other professionals, and why this assistance for an increasing number of youth has proved ineffective. Outlines some of the underlying basic causes of this transition problem and proposes an alternate approach. (CT)

The Welfare Reform Act of 1996, with its emphasis on mandatory work, will have a serious impact on communities throughout California. In 1995-96, a total of 760,000 people received Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), while 139,713 of these were community college students. To respond to the Act, the California Community Colleges should…

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…

In developing a vocational education training program, provision must be made for articulating the occupational program and its courses and units with employment opportunities in the occupation. The first step in gathering and organizing data needed in developing an occupational training program is an organizational analysis. The organizational…