IBM's keys to a productive, diverse work force are (1) recognizing diversity as an asset; (2) cultivating diversity within the company; and (3) addressing personal and professional needs of employees. The result is an employee population that reflects society and an organizational culture that respects individual differences. (SK)

Tech prep is a series of courses and work experiences that prepare students for postsecondary education or work; often, two years of secondary and two years of postsecondary education are involved. Existing programs show increases in achievement, lower dropout rates, and higher enrollment in community colleges. (SK)

Discusses the need for lifelong learning to maintain a presence in a world economy. Looks at the widening gap between rich and poor and its relation to educational level and suggests that more emphasis must be placed on upgrading the skills of blue collar workers. (JOW)

Critiques labor force planning techniques and suggests ways to improve decision making for resource allocation. Argues that the basic premise of such planning--balancing supply and demand--may be faulty. (SK)

Examines the growth of higher education in small nations. Contends that systems of higher education are often established first to provide teachers for elementary and secondary schools. Asserts that small nations are beginning to develop networks of cooperating institutions of higher education to share expertise and resources. (CFR)

"Schools and Businesses Need to Work together to Close the 'Job Skills Gap'" (Cortina) discusses Los Angeles efforts to implement recommendations of the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills. "Employer-Sponsored Education Is a Win-Win Situation for Both Businesses and Employees" (Lipshutz) describes a…

Discusses the necessity of partnerships between industry and community colleges as a way to improve the workforce by providing the skills and education needed to compete successfully in a global economy. Partnerships in areas of technology are emphasized. Seven examples of partnerships between Texas Instruments and community colleges are listed.…

Discusses the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, which consolidates more than 70 federal job-training programs and provides states with the flexibility to develop workforce-development systems in partnership with local governments. Describes one-stop career centers, which provide a variety of services to job seekers. (JOW)

Suggests that, although technical skills are important, soft skills still make a critical difference in hiring in high-tech fields. Defines soft skills as the ability to think critically, work in teams, share ideas, and perform other non-technological tasks. Describes a study that found that employers still see a four-year college degree as the…

Describes California's Educational Development Network (ED>Net), an experimental effort to use the existing community college infrastructure to enhance the state's economic development activities. Highlights ED>Net's focus on developing organization, process, and individual skills in the current workforce. Indicates that ED>Net is…

Discusses the benefits and limits of quick job placement and basic education strategies, and suggests ways to create more effective welfare-to-work strategies. Focuses on the challenges of helping those for whom job searches are unsuccessful, and recommends ways of helping them find and sustain employment. Contains 18 citations. (VWC)

Two foreign medical schools plan to open branch campuses in the United States. Opponents, including the American Medical Association and a physician group, argue that allowing unaccredited medical schools to operate here could jeopardize health care. The two institutions are distinctly different: a for-profit school in the West Indies, and a…

Explains how the existing workforce in Kazakhstan's oil industry is being upgraded in skills, knowledge, and competencies to bring them up to the standards of the West. Discusses the design phase, including career development plans, training plans, and business plans; job ladders and specifications; assessing skill levels; and an…

Contends that America's community colleges have emerged as the leaders in educational opportunity and in responding creatively to workforce needs in their communities. Adds that they have been described as the "workhorses" of higher education, engines of economic prosperity, and centers of scholarship--roles that should not go unrecognized or…

Against the backdrop of training provision in the apartheid era and a description of the promulgation of a new skills development regime post-1994, this article considers the status and distribution of enterprise training in contemporary South Africa. It is found that reasonable progress is being made with training in large and medium-sized firms…