This paper looks at the importance of mechanisms that give formal recognition to vocational skills acquired through work-based learning and how such mechanisms might be developed. It describes how skill recognition can benefit individuals, employers and society as a whole, and identifies in which contexts skill recognition has the highest…

A questionnaire was distributed to 1,305 companies to study the basic skills training provided. Of 62 responses, 41 companies had basic skills training programs. Respondents represented these types of companies: communications and utilities, finance and insurance, manufacturing, wholesalers, retailers, health and hospitals, and mining, and had…

Describes a study of 200 employers in which the key questions were: How many people do you train each year? How many person hours of training occur? What subjects are studied? How much money is spent? Results are reported and analyzed. (CT)

Describes a South African project to develop an on-the-job training program combining education with productive, income-generating work in inner-city Johannesburg. Discusses partnerships, recruitment, and evaluation. (SK)

An adult basic education (ABE) program for mentally retarded young adults between the ages of 14 and 26 years, Project Evolve can provide education agencies for educationally handicapped children with detailed information concerning an innovative program. The manual format was developed through interviews with professional educators concerning the…

This program guide identifies particular considerations in the organization, operation, and evaluation of diversified cooperative training programs. Contents include information on the following: program content and structure, including program philosophy, program goals, and coordinator's responsibility; a curriculum framework that details major…

This volume, Interim Report No. 1 in a 3-year study, recommends that employers who want to enlarge the pool of applicants for entry-level career-oriented jobs give serious attention to "vestibule training." The volume is divided into two parts: report and case studies. The report suggests that vestibule training programs can provide job candidates…

The author describes the Employment Training program developed by the Work Based Learning Project. This program is designed to help trainers break down tasks into needed skills and to evaluate competence in various skills. (CH)

In this paper we review the literature on the impact of workplace basic skills training on individuals, as measured by their effects on wages and employment probability. In addition, we also examine studies on the returns to individuals of general training at the workplace. On the whole, the evidence suggests that better numeracy and literacy…

A four-year study examined the nature and policy implications of school and employer practices to help youth prepare for employment. Data for the study were compiled from a telephone survey of 3,500 employers; a mail survey of 750 employers from across the country; 493 employers, 71 teachers, and 1,565 students from 5 major U.S. cities who…

Project EVOLVE is the last phase of a three-phase special Adult Basic Education (ABE) project, which provided cottage-homeliving and off-campus living experiences for approximately 60 students aged 16-26 who had the relatively greatest potential to succeed in the community. Project EVOLVE refined and disseminated materials and methods for use with…

Basic skill assessments of 109 employees in five small manufacturing businesses revealed that 84% needed additional training in one or more areas. Applied skills needed more remediation than academic skills. Employers expected return on investment in terms of profitability, productivity, and flexibility. Some workers were affected by negative past…

Literature describing the scope and characteristics of employer-based training (EBT) in the United States and the evidence to date about the effectiveness of such training was reviewed in order to help categorize the types of programs or strategies that show promise in terms of improving skills or increasing productivity. For the review, training…

This document contains in-depth descriptions and assessments of 17 exemplary employer-based training (EBT) programs that were studied as part of an examination of EBT programs. The case studies are based on site visits to each firm, during which interviews were conducted with company management, supervisors of workers in training, individuals…