Rural America has long been perceived as "left behind" by policies that leave it struggling while benefiting bustling urban cities and suburbs. That narrative holds some truth: rural America has a declining population, along with lower educational attainment and lower workforce participation than urban America. But while rural America…

The Council on Postsecondary Education (Council) is charged with guiding the reform efforts envisioned by state policy leaders in the Kentucky Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997 and is Kentucky's statewide postsecondary and adult education coordinating agency. To gain better insight into economic conditions and workforce trends,…

The manufacturing workforce has been shaped by decades of industry transformation. Modern manufacturing requires workers with a diverse set of skills to perform functions such as research and development (R&D), product and production design, marketing and sales, and customer support. While workers with a high school diploma or less dominated…

Washington employment projections continue to show strong demand for workers with postsecondary education. Nearly 70 percent of all projected job openings require at least some education beyond high school, with two-thirds requiring midlevel education or higher. As businesses, industries, and workplaces become increasingly complex, employers need…

According to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), "manufacturing is the engine that drives American prosperity". When NAM and its research and education arm, The Manufacturing Institute, released the handbook, "The Facts About Modern Manufacturing," in October 2006, NAM President John Engler noted, that…

This working paper serves as a preview of the second in a series of four policy briefs that will explore the nexus between postsecondary education and workforce development. The completed policy brief will focus on a number of questions about California's workforce and examine economic and workforce trends in California, including projected…

Industry's needs for students with high technology skills are increasing. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts project increases between 1980 and 1990 of 58% in the demand for computer professionals, 28% for engineers, and 24% for engineering technicians, compared with an increase of 17% for all workers. Industrial expansion and replacement of…

Analysis of recent developments in the supply of college graduates, non-completers in postsecondary education, demographic and educational developments in the 1960's, and projections for employment in 1985 suggest that an increasing proportion of younger, well-educated workers will be filling jobs where their postsecondary education will be of…

The author focuses on the relationship between the changing demographic composition and educational level of the labor force and the impact of those factors on the structural rise in unemployment. He discusses how the labor market has adjusted to the increased supply of young, well-educated workers by weakening the market for high school…

These five papers deal with topics related to problems associated with transition from school to independent living for handicapped youth. "Individual Transition Plans: From Lip Service to Implementation" (Joseph Stowitschek, Cheryl Kelso) reports on a study to determine the extent to which individual transition planning is advocated by…

Recent studies profiling the United States' current and future work force have identified significant changes in work force demographics, immigration patterns, economic structure, the education-employment connection, and company training investments. Among the specific changes and trends that have been identified are the following: (1) the…

This monograph is a report on the impact vocational education can have on improving worker productivity. Specifically, the monograph presents a discussion of the relationship between vocational education and productivity and identifies potential areas of impact. The first chapter discusses the concept of productivity and its relationship to…

This report presents data from the 1996 Census of Canada concerning educational attainment, educational success, and labor market outcomes among Aboriginal people and others in Canada. There has been clear educational progress among registered Indians over the past decade, particularly in high school completion and postsecondary participation.…

The State/Local Cooperative Labor Market Information Program has been developed to meet the needs of California's business community and work force. The program aims to improve the match between employers' needs for skilled labor and the skills of the state's workers. The program is a partnership composed of the state Employment Development…

The introduction of computers and other microelectronic equipment throughout the Japanese economy has not affected employment negatively, owing to economic growth and the adaptability of the workers and business organizations affected. Because rapid advances in technology are making many specialized skills and areas of knowledge obsolete, it is…