The literature shows a strong connection between education standards and economic development, but the mechanisms are many and complex. Four human capital development approaches are available: redesigning and rebuilding the foundation (scrapping the back-to-basics approach); stressing applications skills required by high-performance organizations;…

Traces the development of the Clinton Administration's economic policy, including an overview of reports authored prior to July 1992 which influenced the Clinton/Gore workforce development strategies. Presents the key components of the Clinton economic plan, locates the plan in a historical context, and analyzes the six specific planks of the…

William A. Brock, a member of President Bush's Advisory Committee on Education and chairman of the Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCAN), criticizes American society's lack of attention and support for public education. Principals must examine and evaluate the enterprise system, talk to its participants, and learn about helpful new…

On-the-job training is responsible for more increases in productivity than technological change or formal education; yet employer investment in training remains small. Although three-fourths of all jobs will not require a college degree, schools continue to focus on preparing students for college. (SK)

The crisis in preparing people for work stems from many factors: generalization versus specialization, student employment with little guidance or relevance to future work, changing skill requirements, and labor shortages in specific occupations. The focus of reform should be a greater match between skills training and employment opportunities. (SK)

Berrey reports survey findings that many adults in Utah do not associate vocational training with good careers. McCabe suggests ways to improve public education. (SK)

Discusses the importance of continuous learning to Canada's national prosperity. Recommends an initial focus on the retraining of teachers and managers, national standards, local relevance, differentiation and specialization of universities, and investments in computer-assisted learning. (JOW)

Poloni reviews implications for unions of recent economic, social, technological, and political changes in Central and Eastern Europe. Flechsenhar states that unions play a role in the development and restructuring of developing countries by providing special services to meet the economic and social needs of their members. (SK)

Argues that the nation's community colleges provide the vital service of upgrading workers' skills to keep companies competitive globally. Points to a survey of 608 community colleges indicating that 69% offer workforce retraining. Suggests that the role of colleges will expand if they are successful in making workers more competitive. (XZ)

Describes the history, mission, financing, and enrollment of the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI). Presents CCRI's goals: (1) expand the use of technology; (2) be more responsive to the business community and assist in strengthening the economy of the state; (3) become more student-centered; and (4) become a first-stop option for high…

Introduces plans to prepare workers for new positions in industrial and commercial sectors to diversify the economy and render the country less dependent on the oil and gas industry. Argues that if human-resource development is to be successful, greater correspondence between formal education and work may be desirable. (DSK)

Outlines trends and challenges in job skills development, theoretical links between human capital and economic performance, methodological and measurement problems in analyzing return on investment. Presents case studies of approaches in France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with public policy implications. (SK)

Analysis of labor market trends for physicians considers potential indicators of change and what these indicators show. The article concludes that despite some changes in the market, it is too early to identify a departure from trends. Generalist positions are becoming more attractive, but specialist numbers continue to increase. Little indication…

A discussion of nonuniversity postsecondary education in Hungary, especially teacher training and postcompulsory secondary education, examines the relationships of labor force development, expansion, and a deteriorating educational system. New approaches to policy development and the emergence of the concept of institutional autonomy are…

Discussion of mentoring focuses on professionals in higher education. Topics include organizational issues; processes; training; gender and ethnicity; human resource development, including initiation, peer mentoring to foster reflective practice, and performance enhancement in senior management; and mentoring and the learning organization. (LRW)