The greatest challenge we face in the next ten years is the challenge of making sure we have a qualified workforce able to meet the demands of living in a global economy. To do this we will need to expand the capacity of our workforce development and educational system to meet the training needs of business and industry. In order to assess the…

Vocational education can help small business by (1) broadening the type and scope of skills taught; (2) helping prevent labor shortages by preparing disadvantaged and underrepresented groups for employment; and (3) helping small businesses determine their training and development needs. (SK)

Belying the stereotypes, vocational schools, with the help of business, are developing better-trained, more productive workers. Improved vocational education programs can make academics relevant, reduce the dropout rate, encourage postsecondary education, provide jobs, and retrain older workers. (SK)

The National Job Analysis Study (NJAS) originated from the work of the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills and was designed to provide research necessary to identify and establish a taxonomy of workplace skills. Phase 1 identified an initial set of core behaviors common across occupations. The process began by identifying task…

A study of duplications in public skill training programs in twenty American cities resulted in a two-volume report. Volume One (ED 068 706) summarized and drew conclusions from the individual city reports contained in Volume Two. "Skill training" is used to mean all programs whose major purpose is the imparting of marketable skills to…

Work force development systems have three primary subsystems: youth development and preparation for employment, adult work force entry, and worker retraining and transition assistance. Programs targeting youth pose one of the greatest challenges to those striving to develop or improve work force development systems. School-to-work will not…

A study of business and labor was conducted to define the performance skills expected of those entering the workplace in the 1990s and beyond. Survey respondents were 1,120 business people and 26 labor representatives in Illinois of whom 90 participated in follow-up roundtable discussions. Respondents identified and rank ordered nine basic skills:…

A study described the education and training providers that contributed to preparing and upgrading the Pittsburgh region's work force. Providers were classified as either: (1) formal, secondary providers; (2) formal, postsecondary providers; or (3) informal, postsecondary providers, such as training provided by employers and community-based…

Reports on a study of the impact of formalized school-based job-referral procedures among 94 students in vocationally oriented Japanese high schools. Finds that the process achieves a meritocratic allocation of jobs and a smooth entry into the workforce for most students. (CFR)

A study described Pittsburgh's education and training system for producing skilled and semiskilled workers and sought to identify challenges that the system will face as the area's economy strives for increased vitality. The study addressed multiple education and training functions, including preparing youth for productive careers, supporting the…

This document provides background information on and recommendations for the development of a comprehensive strategy for improving job-related learning in the United States. An introduction discusses the relationship among human resource development, the earnings of individuals, and the productivity of institutions. A summary of the major…

This interview with Carolyn Golding, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training at U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), discusses new requirements that global competition and technological changes are creating for American workplace and reviews the role of the DOL in the national debate on education. Training for participation in the global…

A model for developing a training partnership across a three-step or three-phase sequence is outlined. The goal is to improve vocational school preparation of students and the job site training of new employees. In the first phase, the use of videotapes as a training medium is explored. A teacher and an employer analyze typical training problems…

The report examines the multiplicity of factors which influence the labor market activity of the population and explores the implications of changes in those influential factors with regard to manpower and educational planning policy. The first section contains the introduction to the problem, summary of factors affecting labor force…

Compares employers' stated needs for entry-level workers possessing better academic skills with their training programs and hiring practices to supposedly meet this need. Discovers a dichotomy between the stated needs and the corrective practice. Most remedial training emphasizes short-term job skills and hiring practices do not reward academic…