This document contains six papers on research about the school-to-work transition. Following an introduction (Nevzer G. Stacey), the first paper, "Determinants and Consequences of Fit between Vocational Education and Employment in Germany" (J. C. Witte, A. L. Kalleberg), concludes from a nationally representative longitudinal study of…

This report contains a list of 24 contacts and 15 references concerned with workplace literacy programs in small businesses. Each listing includes addresses and telephone numbers, prices if applicable, and a brief description of the resource or materials. The materials listed are mostly reports of workplace literacy projects in small businesses…

Each year, a follow-up study is conducted to gather data on the activities and perceptions of students approximately six months after their graduation from Wisconsin's Technical Colleges (WTC). Specifically, the survey seeks to identify the current activities of WTC graduates, determine the extent to which current activities are related to the…

Contrasting employment, education, and training developments occurred during the 1980s in Britain and Australia. High school completion rates in Great Britain and Australia have been low in comparison to the United States, but the work pattern changed when the market for unskilled youth labor collapsed in the 1980s. Australia increased proportions…

This paper describes and critiques a 1989 employer/alumni study conducted by the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK) and four other state postsecondary institutions. The study was designed to: (1) develop a questionnaire to tap opinion about graduates' preparation and a method of administration that could be used by both 2- and 4-year…

In 1985, Johnson County Community College (JCCC) coordinated a 5-year longitudinal study of representative groups of students at all 19 Kansas community colleges. The study sought to document the academic and career progress of the students from first entry into college to subsequent experiences after leaving the community college. Each college…

This paper identifies those factors and processes critical to promoting interagency collaboration between school and community agencies represented on the Individual Transition Teams (ITT) of students with severe disabilities. The ITT's goal is to assist the student in obtaining the most satisfactory transition possible into meaningful work and…

In 1991, a graduate follow-up survey was conducted to gather data regarding student perceptions and activities following graduation from the Wisconsin Vocational, Technical and Adult Education System (VTAE). The primary objectives of the survey were to identify current activities of VTAE graduates, to determine the extent to which these activities…

The report documents the follow-up of mentally retarded school completers in the Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) area, begun with parents/guardians of students who completed their special education programs in 1985-86 (N=73) and also in 1986-87 (N=60) and preliminary follow-up of a 1990 cohort (N=102). Findings for the first two groups are reported in…

The Roanoke Area 2+2 Project in Automated Manufacturing Technology was undertaken as a cooperative effort of area industries, government, and education to meet the needs of area industries. The program includes 2 years of technical training in high school combined with strong academic preparation and continues with 2 years of advanced technical…

This study was conducted to provide information on the educational and employment status of 1976-1980 vocational program completers in Pennsylvania. Results were based on a 59 percent return (2,669 persons) from selected area vocational-technical schools. The data were collected by mail from October 1982 to January 1983. Some of the findings were…

Many entry level employees do not have the skills to become productive members of the work force. The nationwide decline in educational performance is documented by functional illiteracy among 13 percent of white 17-year-olds, and 42 percent of black 17-year-olds; a decline in the national average scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT); and…

In spring 1982, a study was conducted to gather information concerning the 701 students who graduated from Mercer County Community College (MCCC) during the 1981 academic year. Questionnaires soliciting information on employment, education, reasons for attending MCCC, and opinions of the college were returned by 56% of those surveyed. Study…

The major issues surrounding the relationship between work and education now concentrate on the effects of education on productivity, on the effects of technology on the changing demand for education, and on the value of vocational education. In replacing the human capital theory of the value of education in the workplace, some recent theories…

The need for higher education to plan curricula based upon generalizable human, analytical, and technical skills is discussed in view of historical and economic changes, productivity questions, demographic projections, and employment forecasts. Questions are posed regarding the form of undergraduate education that will best prepare the college…