This study aimed to examine the impact of workplace literacy programs on the structure of social networks accessible to low-income Somali refugee workers. We conceptualized structure as network size and tie strength. Data were drawn using interviews with eighteen participants enrolled in a workplace literacy program. The classes offered included…

A program was conducted by the Food and Beverage Workers Union in Washington, D.C., to provide workplace literacy classes for food service workers in the city's government agencies, universities, and museums. A curriculum for workplace literacy skills was developed, sites were selected, and students were recruited. From a target audience of…

This digest analyzes information from two recently completed national surveys to determine the extent to which various vocational education programs improve employment opportunities in the United States. The impact of a General Educational Development (GED) certificate on workers' wages is also analyzed. Data are from the 1992 National Adult…

An experimental study compared the effectiveness of a traditional General Educational Development (GED) curriculum with a literacy curriculum based on applied literacy skills. An experimental group of 34 adult students received GED instruction emphasizing functional and workplace contexts and supplemental instruction, whereas the 35 students in…

This document is the final report on Global 2000, a 3-year workplace literacy project during which 87% of the 805 employees of 10 Massachusetts manufacturing companies enrolled in workplace literacy classes offered by the Continuing Education Institute (CEI). A total of 61 classes were held and 41 employee-participants earned high school diplomas…

A project promoted job literacy skills, improved worker productivity, and completed job-related literacy training covering the three phases of textile manufacturing. It created successful job-related training programs for greige mill and finishing plant employees through the following methods: conducting task analyses, modifying and creating…

The Basic Educational Skills Training (BEST) workplace literacy demonstration model was designed to provide adult basic education (ABE) services simultaneously for multiple employers in Maury County, Tennessee. The BEST model focused on job-related instruction. The goal of the program was to achieve increased safety, productivity, and employee…

The Continuing Education Institute (CEI) established a seven-member training collaborative to upgrade the literacy and English language skills of nursing assistants, dietary aides, and housekeeping workers employed in a chronic and acute care hospital and in five Massachusetts nursing homes. Three adult basic education (ABE) classes, five…

Project Learning TIP (To Improve Productivity) was a federally-funded 18-month workplace literacy program for hospital workers in Miami, Florida. Students enrolled in courses designed to improve work-related skills, including English as a Second Language, basic literacy, general basic skills, pre-nursing, and high school equivalency test…

This article describes models of literacy education using the intergenerational approach. This approach attempts to teach both parents and children reading and writing, while also improving the parenting and job readiness skills of the parents. Several ongoing projects are described, such as the Kenan Trust Family Literacy Project in Kentucky and…

The National Workplace Literacy Program was very effective for a number of reasons: (1) grants are awarded for 3 years, enabling companies to plan, implement, and evaluate their efforts; (2) the program demanded a partnership of businesses, government, an educational provider, and students/employees; and (3) an educational consortium was…

A review was conducted of a project to teach, upgrade, and improve the literacy skills of employees of ITT Sheraton Hotels in Hawaii. The project offered three basic modules on workplace literacy skills: English as a second language, basic skills, and General Educational Development Test preparation. It served a total of 534 employees from May 1,…

A literacy partnership demonstration project was conducted by Rocco, Inc., WLR Foods, Inc., the Virginia Poultry Federation, James Madison University, and Massanutten Technical Center. The project focused on enhancing workers' careers by providing literacy training to assist them in remaining employed or advancing in their careers. Led by an…

Since September 1988, the Prince George's County (Maryland) Board of Education and the area's Private Industry Council have worked together to provide literacy-enhancing classes at worksites for persons in the county whose jobs represent 15 different employers. These employers have recognized the problems of workers with poor literacy and…

The Massachusetts Career Development Institute (MCDI) refined and expanded the existing program of Workplace Education at the Geriatric Authority of Holyoke (GAH), Massachusetts. The 18-month program provided educational and support services on site to 60 employees at the GAH. Classes were held in English as a second language, adult basic…