In response to large numbers of returning adult students, Wisconsin's technical college system has placed an increased emphasis on school-to-work transition and innovative forms of distance education (DE). DE began in Europe at least 150 years ago through correspondence programs, expanded to include radio programs in the 1920s and 1930s, and moved…

In December 1987, Motorola's MOS 5 Microprocessor Manufacturing Facility and Merex Corporation began a joint workplace literacy training project. MOS 5 had three basic objectives: to assess the level of the work materials, to assess the skill level of the work force, and to close the gap between the two. Merex designed an educational program to…

In 1991, the Northwest Area Health Education Center in North Carolina conducted a needs assessment of area hospitals, revealing that Respiratory Care (RC) departments in Catawba and Alexander counties would require 29 technicians and therapists within 3 years. A survey of area high school students identified 44 students interested in RC. In…

This paper highlights the centrality and importance of quality guidance and counseling programs in national efforts to implement educational reform. Such reform is essential for excellence in the initial preparation and skill development of youth and adults to ensure the country's competitive position in world markets and to improve work role…

This report describes current systems and procedures for certification in Denmark. An introduction makes brief reference to the characteristics of the general and vocational training systems. Section 1 addresses formulation and introduction of certificates, qualifications, and diplomas, including the relevant institutions, procedures, and…

This booklet contains descriptions of the approach of each state member of the Action Team on Lifelong Learning in meeting the challenge to prepare and upgrade the skills of the work force. Each one-page discussion is followed by the name, address, and telephone number of a contact person in the state. The reported approaches of 10 states…

To provide recommendations for Oregon's continuing education (CE) efforts, a study was conducted to determine how CE is valued, documented, and coordinated among institutions of higher education, state boards and professional associations, and business and industry. Two separate questionnaires were developed. One was distributed to 27 state boards…

This guide, which is intended for human resources personnel, industry trainers, educators working in industry, and others interested in learning in the workplace, presents practical guidelines for maximizing the benefits of learning on the job by creating an effective learning environment in the workplace. Discussed in the introduction are key…

An international consultation meeting was organized to identify major issues and priorities in the formulation of technical and vocational education (TVE) policies and strategies and to propose guidelines and format of future regional case studies. Participants submitted country reports focusing on issues considered essential to the development of…

Analysis of recent developments in vocational education and training in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe brings out certain common problems. On the economic level, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, and Lithuania are undergoing a profound crisis. Consequences for training have included the closing of many company schools or workshops, absence of…

A survey of French research by CEREQ ("A French research centre for analysis of occupations and of vocational education and training") shows that firms have undertaken a number of experiments, most of them large scale, to retrain their work force. These initiatives are situated within a general context of change. Training programs based…

This document provides a decision tree to guide the thinking of the staff of New Zealand agencies developing national education and certification standards. It is intended to help them make decisions about moderation of assessment--a process of sampling assessments to ensure that they are consistent with the required standard. After an…

Demographic and social changes, increasing economic interdependence, and educational reform movements are causing major changes in vocational education. Essential work force skills and the standards to account for their achievement are being debated. The 1980s'"Excellence Movement" focused on strengthening academic requirements,…

State programs offer greatest promise for practical strategic actions to enhance the quality of the nation's adult work force. Three steps in the recursive process that create a model of state action are as follows: (1) documentation of the platform for action, which consists of current adult work force attributes and current institutional…

This report proposes that state economic development policy and resources, and state personnel, with their knowledge of and access to the business community, can contribute to the intertwined issues of competitiveness and poverty. Following an introduction, chapter 2 examines four related issues: poverty, income equity, welfare dependency, and the…