Nebraska, like most states in the U.S., is facing a critical shortage of skilled and employable workers. Business and industry want to grow in Nebraska and realize the road to ensuring success is a workforce possessing updated knowledge and skills that support the use of new technologies, as well as a necessary work ethic to be a dependable and…

With the rapidly transforming nature of vocational work, it is increasingly challenging for vocational teachers in institutional environments to develop learning that is relevant and sustainable. Although it has been widely observed that new pedagogies are essential in this changing vocational environment, little guidance is emerging for both…

Difficulties in finding, keeping, and ensuring the competence of the direct support workforce in community developmental disability services has long been a challenge for individuals, families, providers, and policy makers. Direct support staff recruitment, retention, and competence are widely reported as one of the most significant barriers to…

This paper presents a critical argument to the profession of career development for the purpose of stimulating reflexive consideration on the myriad influences that impinge upon practitioners. The paper suggests that given the current skills agenda in the Australian economy, it may be timely to reflexively consider career development practice. The…

The human capital emphasis in recent economic planning is leading to new pressures on the post-compulsory education sector where work-readiness is emerging as a major focus. With concerns about the impact of demographic change as the population ages, there is a renewed emphasis on greater productivity from and less wastage of human capital. Hence…

The two parts of this book consider two main facets of nonformal curriculum development: theory and practice. Part I on nonformal curriculum theory has four chapters. Chapter 1 addresses the origins, meaning, purpose, and scope of nonformal education. Chapter 2 examines three major themes in discussions on nonformal education: nonformal education…

These four papers are from a symposium that was facilitated by C. J. Wallington at the 1995 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development (HRD). "The Effectiveness of an Electronic Performance Support System (EPSS) on Learning and Performance" (Theo J. Bastiaens, Wim J. Nijhof, Harmen J. Abma) reports on a study of Dutch…

The primary goal of work force development--meaningful job placement--may appear to be narrower than the broad social and personal goals of education; however, education and work force development share common functions, content, and objectives. The training process in work force development involves many of the major functions of a formal…

Federal workforce training legislation currently under consideration is designed to streamline existing federal education, employment, and job training programs and increase accountability. As such, it would repeal most of the legislation that created these programs and replace them with block grants for statewide workforce and career development…

The purpose of skills-training needs-assessment is to identify what type of skills and knowledge are needed to support economic strategies and, as a result, improve organizational decisionmaking related to training investments and general work force development. This paper presents findings of 11 skills-retraining, needs-assessment,…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on work analysis and expertise. "A Taxonomy of Employee Development: Toward an Organizational Culture of Expertise" (Ronald L. Jacobs) includes five categories of employee competence: novice, specialist, experienced specialist, expert, and master. "An Integrated Needs…

Competencies essential for organization development consultants, internal and external, have evolved over 20 years, based on literature and feedback from nearly 2,000 practitioners and academics. Further research is being conducted to determine what competencies are essential for internal and external organization development consultants today and…

This document contains three papers from a symposium on expanded roles for human resource development (HRD). "The Roles of Consultants in Gainsharing Firms: Empirical Results" (Eunsang Cho, Gary N. McLean) reports findings that consultants are moderately involved at the separation, preparation, evaluation, and design stages and have low…

This document records the oral and written testimony given at a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee hearing on technical training and productivity. Witnesses who provided testimony included an official of the National Science Foundation, several administrators of manufacturing companies, a representative of community colleges, and…

This paper presents a preliminary human resource development plan for the radiography program sponsored by Lincoln Land Community College (Illinois). The plan is based on the "Essentials and Guidelines of an Accredited Program for the Radiographer," initially adopted in 1944, and most recently revised in 1990, it involves the integration…