In the past the task of vocational educators has been to prepare people, especially youth, for known employment opportunities, but today we must be concerned about the adequacy of employment opportunities. The vocational system has paid too little attention to self-employed persons who discover and create their own jobs. These entrepreneurs are…

Proactive steps should be taken at the national level to ensure that rural America receives educational and economic opportunities comparable to those provided to the nation's urban regions. This report, by the American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC's) Commission on Small/Rural Community Colleges, details policy and administrative…

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has mandated the Youth Employment Network, an initiative to address youth unemployment. Policy recommendations have been finalized, including an ambitious political process now being put into place. It invites heads of state and government to develop national action plans with targets for job creation and…

Describes a study to determine the most effective of three postschool formal occupational training programs; what contributes the most to increasing the work earnings of male youths, especially those below poverty level; and whether training affects income. Notes implications for training programs and Comprehensive Employment and Training Act…

Aspects of the relationship between education and work (career education) for youths and adults and directions for future federal policy in this area are identified in this document. Part 1 examines the problems that youths face in making a successful transition from school to work, including knowledge of the labor market, self-knowledge of…

The antipoverty initiatives of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations were essentially continued and given increased funding during the Nixon, Ford, and Carter administrations. The Reagan and Bush administrations marked the regression of many employment, training, and welfare programs. Employment and training issues were given high priority…

A 2-day conference on vocational training as an instrument to combat unemployment was held to discuss employment policy, vocational training, and decentralization in the context of the European Union's (EU's) accession strategy, current employment initiatives, and experiences of the EU's member states and regions. The conference included papers on…

The literature on work placements in education and training courses and current Australian practice related to work placements was reviewed. The review focused on the school, university, and vocational education and training (VET) sectors. The following major issues were considered: lack of a common name and common body of literature; purposes of…

This document contains 23 papers on European trends in vocational education and training (VET) and the development of occupations and qualifications. The following papers are included: "Vocational Socialisation and Competence Development: The Historical Dimension" (Walter R. Heinz); "European Trends in the Development of Vocational…

This document contains 15 papers from a conference on preparing youth for the 21st century that was organized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The following papers are included: "Giving Young People a Good Start: The Experience of OECD Countries" (Norman Bowers,…