This paper urges foundations and state and federal agencies to consider funding rural community colleges, in light of the successful experiences of the Rural Community College Initiative. Much of rural America is in trouble because educational attainment and job opportunities are low; innovation is stifled by poor schools, isolation, and…

The number of disadvantaged school leavers facing a shortage of chances to participate in society and work is growing. Austria, Germany, and Switzerland have different regulations regarding length of compulsory schooling. All three regard participation in apprenticeship as a kind of standard, and their governments direct strong efforts to bring in…

This document explains how organized labor can participate in school-to-career programs across California. The guide begins by detailing the following steps for becoming involved in school-to-career: (1) plan your strategy; (2) choose your activities; and (3) get connected. The following topics are discussed next: (1) principles and benefits of…

A study examined what counts as success in literacy and numeracy programs for youth at risk in Victoria. It explored the relationship between discourses around best practice in government reports and through examining academic writings, surveying providers and policymakers, and speaking with practitioners and participants. Main findings indicated…

The extent of employer-supported education and training in Australia was examined by analyzing data from the Training Expenditure Surveys (TES), which gathered information from firms, and the Surveys of Education and Training Experience (SETE), which gathered information from workers. The TES showed an approximately 10% decline in the hours of…

Models of workplace learning and principles for funding workplace learning in Australia were identified through case studies and a literature review. A diverse array of workplace-based approaches to delivering nationally recognized qualifications were identified. The following were among the nine funding proposals formulated: (1) funding…

Education is the main resource for obtaining employment for young people entering the labor market. European countries differ widely in the institutional structure of their education and training systems and labor markets in that different resources are provided to school-leavers entering into working life in different countries and these new…

This concept paper addresses the preparation of vocational education teachers. Several topics are listed with comments, and, in some cases, supporting documentation has been abstracted. These topics correspond to reasons for the lack of national visibility within Florida as indicated by the 2001 rankings in the U.S. News and World Report that…

As of February 2001, 285,400 people were employed in Australia's construction trades workforce and an additional 169,600 people were employed in the main nontrade on-site construction occupations. After a period of decline in the mid-1990s, employment in Australia's construction trades increased by 5% in the 2 years ending in February 2001.…

This five-section paper describes how the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system, the largest system of higher education in the state, determines what degree programs will be created, based on needs for workers in various occupations in the state. The paper begins by discussing why connecting demographic trends, learner segments,…

This seventh publication in the Eurydice European Unit series of thematic bibliographies draws attention to a selection of publications on the topic of lifelong learning. This annotated bibliography lists 268 books, articles, publications, and reports that have appeared since 1994. Some earlier items of published literature of special historical…

A study examined experiences of early leavers in the United States (US) and Australia in the first two years beyond high school. Data were from these comparable longitudinal surveys: US data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988; Australian data from the 1975 cohort of the Youth in Transition surveys. Findings indicated similar…

Despite the enduring problems of equity and access in the delivery of education in rural Australian schools, vocational education and training (VET) programs appear to have had a significant impact on many such schools and their communities. Vocational educational programs in Australia are based on structured workplace learning. There are three…

This book provides lessons for the woman who wants to advance her career within a corporation or by opening or expanding a business venture of her own. Chapter One, "Careers" introduces the types and varied career paths of the women entrepreneurs who are followed in subsequent chapters. Chapter Two, "Organizational…

Analysis of the workplace training experiences of the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth at age 19 in 2000 (n=7,889, 58% response rate) focused on the 85% of respondents currently employed or employed during the last year. The following elements were studied: participation in training (reasons, outcomes, adequacy);…