A study examined the views of business and industry on the Florida vocational and technical education system. Representatives from 284 Florida firms and 44 supervisors completed interviews based on two project-developed questionnaires. Sought in the questionnaires were employer perceptions concerning the following areas: awareness of vocational…

This study was designed to describe the different models of Employer-Sponsored Child Care (ESCC) available to employers and child care professionals. Examples of specific child care programs sponsored by employers are described, and five ESCC models are identified: on-site and off-site centers for a single employer, off-site centers for multiple…

This study investigated the effects of a newly redesigned teacher education internship program at West Texas A&M University, the STEP (Student/Teacher Expanded Program) program, on teaching interns' performance. STEP participants were placed in 1-year internships and paid 75 percent of a beginning teacher's salary. Carefully screened teachers who…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on the performance evaluation process and human resource development (HRD). "Assessing the Effectiveness of OJT (On the Job Training): A Case Study Approach" (Julie Furst-Bowe, Debra Gates) is a case study of the effectiveness of OJT in one of a high-tech manufacturing company's product…

This report reviews the personnel psychology literature related to training effectiveness and summarizes it into a three-dimensional matrix. Following an introduction, section II discusses how three components of training studies--training content, training method, and transfer of training--can be considered within a three-dimensional framework.…

Linking agents, called "field agents," coordinated and provided educational improvement services to schools participating in the National Institute of Education's Research and Development Utilization (RDU) program. To assess the field agents' roles, attitudes, behaviors, and client relations, researchers surveyed and interviewed agents,…

The valid interpretation of information related to the outcomes of vocational education is a persistent and profound problem of the profession. Some of the reasons for this problem are difficulties of communication, problems of definition, problems of collecting and interpreting data, and lack of documentation. The primary problem appears to be…

This follow-up study tracked the employment outcomes, job retention, and average wages of 576 individuals in Washington State with mental health disabilities or developmental disabilities 2 years after they had received supported employment services and entered into competitive employment. The study matched client records from the Division of…

This handbook introduces a new training model that reflects the complexity of organizational life, changes in the human resources (HR) function, and the need to involve line management. Part I outlines the new context in which training must be delivered. It discusses the changing organizational requirements for training and the changing position…

A study was conducted at Maryland's Howard Community College (HCC) to examine employers' views of the job readiness and vocational preparation of HCC graduates. The study sample included 55 employers of 1985 HCC graduates who agreed to have their employer contacted. The nursing program had the highest representation in the study sample, which…

Training interventions can be evaluated by calculating return on investment (ROI) and cost-benefit analysis. The four-level model proposed by Kirkpatrick is the dominant evaluation model used. Calculating ROI has been a critical issue for trainers and executives, but only a few organizations have implemented the process that is considered as…

A study examined the information collected by the Department of Defense on both the quality of its new recruits and the effectiveness of its training in preparing recruits to operate in a technologically sophisticated environment. It found that data were collected at a recruit's entrance to military life, during and upon completion of formal…

Measurement of the organizational effectiveness of the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) could be enhanced by utilizing a multidimensional perspective in measuring outcomes of various organizational activities, particularly the Extension educational system of program development. Because multiple and conflicting environmental constraints, goals,…

This report describes major activities and accomplishments of the Arkansas Rehabilitation Research & Training Center on Enhancing Employability of Individuals with Disabilities from August 5, 1994 through May 14, 1996. The Center has a 5-year contract in the priority area of enhancing employability of individuals with severe disabilities. The…

Inner City, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Polaroid Corporation, located in the Roxbury section of Boston. Without the use of public funding, Polaroid created this job training program 17 years ago to provide Boston's unemployed residents with entry into meaningful employment. Training occurs within the framework of an actual…