The factors that influence learning in workplaces were examined through a study of guided learning in five workplaces. Special attention was paid to the dual considerations of how workplaces afford opportunities for learning and how individuals elect to engage in activities and the guidance provided by the workplace. The readiness of the workplace…

A major proposition is that dual training arrangements alone do not necessarily solve quality problems in the delivery of vocational education and training (VET) nor improve VET links to the labor market. An essential strategy for Australia should be to further develop holistic training courses linked to apprenticeship models and embed both into a…

The vocational education (VE) system in China has been reformed and redeveloped over the past 20 years and now has a rational structure and stages from junior to senior levels that match the industrial sectors and link to regular secondary education. The reform and development of the Chinese VE system was carried out in three stages. The senior…

In the middle of the 20th century, job training was largely unnecessary, since workers were desperately needed to labor in manufacturing and construction jobs. Skills were learned on the job, and even a high school diploma was not needed for most occupations. Workers received wages that allowed them to raise a family comfortably and then to retire…

This guide offers a framework for action for employer associations to help their members develop school-to-career programs that reflect the needs of today's workplace. The framework for action covers three areas: (1) identifying the major constituents; (2) understanding the constituents' needs; and (3) helping employers effect change. The…

A large body of research, especially from the 1990s, demonstrates the positives of Career and Technical Education (CTE). The research shows that associate degree holders enjoyed average earnings 20-30 percent higher than high school graduates (while baccalaureate degree holders had average earnings 30-40 percent higher than those of high-school…

This paper examines the extent, nature, and implications of spatial variations in skill levels across England. Section 2 sets out reasons why skill levels should be important to localities and their economic potential by outlining their growing importance and the way in which they are connected to economic well-being. Section 3 sets out the extent…

Arizona businesses are facing a dearth of skilled workers. The work force deficit is about quantity and about quality. It is both an immediate problem and a long-term problem. It is a threat to business competitiveness and Arizona's competitive advantage, and it challenges both industry and government to find solutions. Currently the State of…

This policy memorandum provides guidance to assist educators, parents, and state and local education agencies in implementing the requirements of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regarding Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for children with disabilities. The document stresses the requirements of the IEP to…

Limited information is available regarding the factors that promote persistence by women in engineering programs. Stated simply, the problem is that the number of women engineers continues to fall short in comparison to the gender ratio of women to men in the population in the U.S. (BEST, 2002) and worldwide (Hersh, 2000). More women engineers are…

On every hand one hears youth asking: "Where can we find work?" Many young people of this generation have never had a steady job, have never experienced the pleasure that comes from contributing their share toward satisfying human needs. Some of them have spent several years in preparing themselves for definite kinds of work, but cannot now find…

The trend toward the development of functional communication skills and a longer sequence of language study has been hastened by an awakened public interest in modern foreign languages and by the emphasis given to language development in the National Defense Education Act. Both the immediate and the long-range objectives of foreign language study…

For too many graduates, the American high school diploma signifies only a broken promise. While students and their parents may still believe that the diploma reflects adequate preparation for the intellectual demands of college or work, employers and postsecondary institutions know that it often serves as little more than a certificate of…

Offered are resources dealing with the improvement of educational information services, including: publications dealing with career development, federal agencies that sponsor programs aimed at improving occupational and educational information and information services, and organizations concerned with cooperative efforts to form networks of…

Described is the comprehensive effort launched by Doane College in 1973 to blend the career development concept into its liberal arts framework. Areas discussed include college mission, curriculum planning, individual planning, advising, institutional responsibilities, internship programs, and evaluations of the liberal skills and of Doane's…