This report highlights issues for policymakers and provides guidance to states and localities implementing the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) by describing the successes and struggles of five cities implementing the new legislation. It presents WIA's basic framework and discusses its impact on these four major audiences: employment and…

It is the 20th anniversary of the release of Dale Parnell's landmark book "The Neglected Majority". In this book, Parnell pointed out that for too long America's educational system has focused on the highest and lowest achievers. He made the case that most of those students in the middle two high school quartiles neither prepare for nor aspire to…

This paper provides a critical analysis of the EU's "Memorandum on lifelong learning" in light of the evolution of the concepts of lifelong education and lifelong learning from the late sixties onward. It also analyses this document in light of the forces of globalisation that impinge on educational policy-making in Europe as well as the…

The data presented in this report are indicators of the level of success of the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) in the 1993-94 academic year as measured by student outcomes and the extent to which the system addresses the needs of the state. Where possible, 5-year data are also presented. Seven critical factors are examined: (1)…

This paper, which is intended as a guide for local government managers responsible for economic development policies, begins with a discussion of typical goals and practices of local economic development programs. Examined next are examples of local government involvement in economic development efforts through policies/activities such as the…

This study investigated what the workforce education, training, and retraining needs of businesses and organizations in the United States are, and how well community colleges are meeting these needs. Conventional and meta-analytical methods were employed to analyze a sample of 10 local, state, and national studies in workforce development with a…

This document consists of descriptions of 50 projects that were selected as examples of good practice in providing relevant initial and continuing vocational training to women throughout the European Community regardless of their legal status, employment status, and geographic location. The projects are grouped under six key words (motivation,…

This book focuses on the role of training managers in increasing the effectiveness of training activities through appropriate measures and providing them with information on the latest developments, theories, and strategies in training management. It is intended for use by heads, directors, administrators, and managers of vocational and human…

Colleges and universities throughout the United States are faced with the new mission of offering comprehensive educational programs designed to strengthen the employment skills of mature adults. In the coming decades, as the number of young people entering the labor force decreases by an expected one-third, the number of available workers aged…

The data presented in this report are indicators of the level of success of the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) as measured by student outcomes and the extent to which the system addresses the needs of the state. Where possible, 5-year data are presented. Seven critical factors are examined: (1) student success, as measured by…

The national policies on preparing youth for the work force in the United States and Finland were compared through a retrospective review of past policy decisions. Qualitative data were gathered by analyzing key policy documents and by conducting focus group interviews with reform stakeholders within three Finnish experimental school divisions and…

Approximately 4,000 randomly selected Oregon employers were surveyed regarding their training practices and work organization. More than 43% of employers surveyed responded. Among the key survey findings were the following: most Oregon employers initially recruit locally; applicants for jobs in high performance organizations are often rejected…

In 1992, questionnaires regarding the training and work organization practices were mailed to a random sample of 4,000 Oregon employers, and focus groups were held with 100 Oregon managers/employers. The main findings from the completed questionnaires (43% response rate) were as follows: most Oregon employers do not plan for training or treat it…

In an effort to meet the training needs of the British Columbia (BC) labor force, Open College (OC), in Burnaby, has focused future activities on market-driven, employer-centered training programs utilizing advanced technologies and traditional on-site instructional methods. Designed to ensure that these courses and programs reflect actual labor…

A project was conducted in response to House Joint Resolution (HJR) 143 to determine the efficacy of Virginia public education institutions in preparing a skilled work force for the 21st century. It focused on complex manufacturing technology to identify and implement model procedures for studying other occupational areas. Information was obtained…