Although science and math are increasingly important in the workplace, many students, especially females, avoid these subjects. One route to the achievement of National Education Goal 3--increasing student competence in challenging subject matter--is through integration of vocational education with science and math, enabling students to apply…

Tech prep is an articulation partnership between secondary vocational-technical schools and postsecondary institutions. It can be described as an "advanced skills" articulation model because it enables students to use the time saved through coordinated course work to acquire the more advanced occupational knowledge and skill required by…

Communication, mathematics, science, and vocational skills are critical to an individual's career progression, but they do not guarantee job success. Many employers believe that employability skills are of primary importance. Because of the changing nature of today's employment picture, employers need creative, flexible workers who have a broad…

The gap between existing skills and desired or required skills is the impetus for the development of business/industry standards. Professional associations have taken the initiative in setting skill standards; state licensing exams are used to certify workers in some occupations. An impending work force crisis has triggered a demand for…

Employers believe high school graduates have inadequate reading, writing, math, thinking, and communication skills. A declining number of good jobs for first-time workers can be attributed to employers' focus on retraining their remaining employees or in recruiting skilled and otherwise qualified workers who were laid off because of other…

Since the early 1980s, more and more businesses have been motivated to enter into business/education partnerships to improve the academic and technical skills of the future work force. In the one-to-one institutional partnership, the needs of one school and/or one business drive the agreement. As partnerships expand to involve multiple partners,…

Educational restructuring is influencing the change in names of vocational education specialty areas as well as the change in course offerings for the specialties. In some schools, the name "vocational education" has been replaced with new names more reflective of the school's restructuring efforts. Within a given area, new courses are being added…

Although most educators support the concept of integrating academic and vocational education and recognize the benefits it affords students, implementation of integrated curriculum and instruction is seen as problematical. One myth is that successful integration relies solely on teacher commitment and cooperation. The reality is that although…

Although the number of minority students in U.S. schools continues to increase, the number of ethnically diverse teachers continues to decline. The multicultural classroom creates a demand for teachers who are aware of cultural differences within the student population. Minority teachers are in a unique position to understand these differences and…

Although not a new concept, mentoring is being seen as an increasingly important part of an individual's career and work force development, requiring sophisticated skills of those who provide it. Mentoring has been defined as "a relationship in which a more experienced person facilitates the broad development of a less experienced person on a…

This student book is part of a series of program materials for a school-based intervention process to help at-risk students stay in school. This book, a related instructor's guide, and a viodetape entitled "A Time of Choices" comprise the classroom component of this set of materials focusing on awareness and commitment. The purpose of the program…

Some misconceptions surround youth organizations and their contribution to career and occupational development. The first myth is that student youth organizations have diminishing value to today's vocational education students. The truth is that vocational educators have identified strong vocational student organizations (VSOs) as an essential…

This resource manual is one of the components of "Work Skills," a set of competency-based instructional materials written for low-level readers that prepares students with specific job search and job keeping skills. ("Work Skills" is part of the "Connections" package, which represents a synthesis of significant work on education and employment and…

Family influence is an important force in preparing youth for their roles as workers. Family background factors found to be associated with career development include parents' socioeconomic status, their educational level, biogenetic factors, and family income. Family processes of interaction, communication, and behavior influence what the child…

Instruction in small business development is particularly appropriate in vocational and career education. Vocational education teaches students job-specific and employability skills and provides opportunities to use them in work experience programs. The profile of the adult entrepreneur reflects characteristics attributed to vocational education…