British college students (n=414) were paired with mentors in their work placements. In many cases, learner and mentor had little contact, but learners obtained support for workplace learning from other sources. Managers were not ideal mentors. Relevant expert knowledge, formal mentoring relationships, and training of mentors were considered…

A reflective account of work experience undertaken by a teacher trainee reveals the learning derived from observation of the delivery of basic skills in the workplace. (Contains 20 references.) (SK)

Presents a typology distinguishing conceptions of generic skill as (1) the property of individuals versus relationship between individuals and work context and (2) skills used in routine versus novel situations. Asserts that work experiences that develop generic skills must be part of a curriculum that supports the practice of learning through…

Uses interviews conducted in 1974 and 1994 to investigate the vocational experiences of individuals with spinal cord injuries. Participants had received a spinal cord injury 22-45 years previously. Results revealed that all but seven of the participants had been in remunerative employment. Work experiences, comprehensive rehabilitation service,…

Phenomenographic analysis of observations and interviews of 18 Finnish engineers and product designers yielded six ways of learning: through doing work, through collegial interaction, through evaluation of work experiences, through taking on new tasks, through formal education, and through experiences outside work. (Contains 66 references.) (SK)

Describes workshop developed at the Catholic University of America to help international students work temporarily in the United States through Practical Training employment, thus making their education more meaningful and providing them with work experience. Presents history and rationale of the program and discusses cultural issues that must be…

Employers' lack of involvement in apprenticeship may stem from such beliefs as lack of faith in training or its payback, adequate supply of qualified adults, opposition by unions, or sufficient number of skilled workers. Initiatives to encourage participation include tax credits, student assessment, coalitions, curriculum design, and involvement…

Work program coordinators in Georgia (160 of 170 responses) believe they are prepared to teach work ethics and believe it can be taught in school. However, their actual teaching of work ethics was informal or unintentional. (SK)

An evaluation of the Fukuyama Profile for use in German secondary schools considered (1) how to adapt it into the framework of career education curricula; (2) acceptance by students, teachers, and counselors; (3) practicability; and (4) effects on career choice ability. (SK)

Used 1979 Chicano Survey and four different operational definitions of retirement to explore effects of age, gender, health, birthplace, and lifetime work experience on retirement of Mexican Americans. Frequent health limitations were associated with retirement defined by self-reported retirement or self-reported current work status, but not…

Among 540 successful small businesses in New England, female-owned businesses had lower sales volumes and produced lower incomes than male-owned businesses. The smaller size of women's businesses was the major explanatory factor, followed by women's lack of experience and concentration in less profitable industries. Contains 66 references. (SV)

Used data from 1982 New Beneficiary Survey to examine financial stress in retirement for highly committed women workers. Separate regressions were conducted for married and unmarried women, with attention paid to impact of gender-segregated jobs. Results suggest relative importance of work history and sociodemographic variables as predictors of…

Training mentors perform critical roles for cooperative education students: induction, performance evaluation, and career counseling. Mentors should be sincerely interested in working with students, understand co-op, be able to motivate, be competent, and have good interpersonal skills. (SK)

A job skills partnership between Southern California Edison Company and local high schools pairs juniors and seniors with journeyworker mentors for a year, experiencing six-week rotations in maintenance, operations, administration, warehouse, and technical occupations. (JOW)

Data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (1967-87) revealed little change in persistence of female labor supply because women have tended to become continuous workers, replacing continuous nonworkers. Periods of reduced hours are now less prolonged among older women. Employment patterns now appear to develop before marriage. (SK)