In countries where young people have been relatively successful in both achieving high academic standards and making smooth transitions to employment, employers have taken major responsibility for their training. Now the emergence of a more "learning-intensive" economy poses new challenges. In response to the perceived insufficiency of traditional…

The search for a work force preparation model that could serve as a guide for meeting present and emerging challenges has lead to a focus on the German dual system youth apprenticeship model. In this system, the practice-oriented part is taken over by commercial enterprises and theoretical knowledge is imparted by vocational schools. The trainee…

The Learning Site Analysis Form (LSAF) helps teachers and other school staff collaborate with employers to identify opportunities for students to learn at the workplace. This reference guide is designed to help school staff and employers use the LSAF and apply its results to structure experiences that connect classroom learning to the world of…

This manual provides information on and instructions for administering the Work Experience Survey (WES), a 30- to 60-minute structured interview methodology to help individuals with disabilities direct their own accommodation planning. Section 1 describes the WES, which consists of six sections: (1) background information on the respondent, (2) an…

"Alternative" or cooperative education is a way of organizing instruction that combines education in an academic institution with training in a professional setting. The approach has attracted a renewed interest in Europe in the past few years because of its potential for motivating students, reducing student attrition, and raising the…

The effectiveness of a secondary alternative school for at-risk students was studied with respect to the development and implementation of certain components that are generally thought to be critical to the success of at-risk education. The Hamilton Optional Program for Education (HOPE) school of Hamilton (Ohio) was the study site. Twenty percent…

The Portsmouth (New Hampshire) Alternative Secondary School (PASS) has been developed for at-risk students who need a self-contained educational program with a community educational approach. This model program is based on the need for students to experience individual growth and success in the areas of academics, therapeutics, behavior…

The history of unpaid work experience shows that work requirements for welfare recipients have often been proposed and attempted. The consistent trend has been to place greater emphasis on employability services. Studies of nine welfare-to-work programs providing unpaid work experience indicate that the level of participation is limited by factors…

This longitudinal study evaluated the effects of a preschool project designed to serve children between 3 and 5 years of age in a disadvantaged inner-city area in Dublin, Ireland. The preschool, established in 1969, emphasized the development of children's cognitive skills and established structures to increase parents' involvement in their…

This yearbook of PETRA, the European Community's program for providing youths with vocational training and preparing them for adulthood and work, contains 14 articles: "PETRA's Added Value" (Welbers); "Beyond the Fallen Wall" (Hanf); "Project Report: A Flyweight Becomes a Bricklayer"; "PETRA's Southern Tip"…

Work-based learning (WBL) differs from work experiences gained in regular youth jobs because WBL is intentionally structured to promote learning by linking work with school. Five main purposes of WBL have been identified: enhancing students' motivation and academic achievement; increasing personal and social competence related to work in general;…

Designed for parents of students with physical injuries, this guide provides information to help families plan for the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Chapter 1 discusses shifting goals and expectations, including getting work experience, having friends and dating, and becoming independent. Chapter 2 addresses job exploration and…

In summer 1997, the National Employer Survey (NES-II) was administered as a telephone survey to 6,971 private employers with more than 20 employees. The response rate was 78%. Two versions of the survey--one for manufacturing establishments and one for nonmanufacturing industries--were used. According to the NES-II, roughly 25% of establishments…

The Technological Baccalaureate (TechBac) is a new award that aims to achieve parity of status between academic and vocational qualifications in England. It is designed primarily to be awarded to people aged 18-19. The number of British students who stay in full-time education at 16 is lamentably below figures for other advanced countries. In…

Foreign language teachers must do some career counseling if their students are to be informed about the choice of profession and application of foreign language skills and knowledge. Because most teachers do not have time or resources to do full-scale counseling, Macon College (Georgia) has instituted an internship program for foreign language…