Examines the various concepts of an entry-level job and presents some survey data on occupational entrants that provide some insight on this issue. A table gives total number of entrants, number without experience, and percentage without experience for more than 160 occupations. (JOW)

Describes Providence Place Academy in Rhode Island, the "School at the Mall" where students work for 90 minutes per day at various stores to learn about the retail industry while reinforcing what they learn in the retail/marketing-based curriculum and acquiring customer service skills. (JOW)

Interviews with 69 vocational administrators in 12 states indicated they all had experiences that significantly affected their development as leaders. On-the-job learning was most likely to occur in the presence of challenging problems and risk. Outcomes commonly included leadership, skills, and values. There were few gender differences. (SK)

A phenomenological study of 56 manufacturing workers revealed 7 different conceptions of "common sense" in workplace experiences: gut feeling, innate ability, knowing how, learning, using others purposefully, demonstrable cognitive ability, and personal attributes. These varied conceptions should be taken into account in workplace…

Describes the use of Rasch analysis of paired comparisons in measuring physician work, using the ranking of related medical procedures through surveys of experienced physicians who indicate which procedures represent greater amounts of physician work. Application of the method to a series of spinal operations illustrates its potential for…

Building on the existing education literature, we address two interrelated questions. First, how sensitive are estimated returns to two-year and four-year colleges to the inclusion of in-school work experience? Second, do the estimated returns to in-school work experience vary by type of educational institution attended? Regarding the first…

As the world economy continues to evolve, businesses and industries must adopt new practices and processes in order to survive. Quality and cost control, work teams and participatory management, and an infusion of technology are transforming the way people work and do business. Employees are now expected to read, write, and communicate…

Purpose: This paper seeks to challenge the view that student part time employment detracts from academic attainment and presents evidence that when linked to formal undergraduate study provides rich learning experiences. It also explores the extent to which formerly accepted pre-requisites for work based learning (WBL) apply in this model and how…

Four-hour internships have been a requirement for nonteaching geography majors at Illinois State University (Normal) since 1987. A 2-hour pre-internship seminar, taught every spring, is also required. In this course, students learn of internship possibilities; develop resumes and cover letters; participate in a video-taped mock interview; receive…

A study examined the process of awarding credit to youth participating in a special group of employment and training programs. Using a student questionnaire, field researchers collected data concerning 21 Youthwork, Inc., Exemplary In-School Demonstration Projects with one of the following four program focus areas: academic credit for work…

Operation MEDIHC's (Military Experience Directed into Health Careers) program to help veterans trained in health skills while in military service capitalize on those skills when they return to civilian life is examined. The goal of the program was to help find civilian career opportunities and to provide free counseling and vocational guidance to…

The basic goal of the Correlated Curriculum Program (CCP) is to upgrade the education of the "general" or nonacademic student. Since the students have not responded to traditional teaching methods, emphasis is placed on "learning by doing." To attain this objective the students explore career opportunities through skill-tryouts for clusters of…

A real job experience provides insights the vocational teacher cannot gain from laboratory and simulated experiences. Examples are given from a pre-service course at the University of Washington, and tips are offered on getting work experience and on making the most effective use of it in teaching. (Author/AJ)

Reviews research on the relationship between youth employment experience and later employment opportunities. Discusses the effectiveness of subsidized work experience programs and emphasizes the need for evaluation research on such programs in order to determine whether they truly prepare disadvantaged youth for the exigencies of the labor market.…

The Work Experience Program at the American School for the Deaf (Connecticut) involves students with multiple handicaps spending half of their school week in the classroom focusing on language, practical math, social studies, and science, and half their week at jobs, with the teacher serving as job coach and supervisor. (JDD)