This issue of "EFF Voice" was assembled by the staff to share with their readers some of the ways their partners are using Equipped for the Future (EFF) to help adults build the skills they need to be successful in the workforce today. Readers will learn about how states like New Jersey are using EFF to craft a common vision and a common…

If one mantra dominates the field of workforce development, it is partnership and collaboration: the need to link disparate training providers and colleges, to better connect employers with training courses and to unite public and private sector funding. The need for partnership is clear, but all the rhetoric and legislative mandates supporting…

This document contains three papers from a symposium on team-based work in human resource development (HRD). "Toward Transformational Learning in Organizations: Effects of Model-II Governing Variables on Perceived Learning in Teams" (Blair K. Carruth) summarizes a study that indicated that, regardless of which Model-II variable (valid…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on cost analysis, evaluation, and feedback in human resource development. "Training Evaluation with 360-Degree Feedback" (Froukje A. Jellema) reports on a quasi-experimental study that examined the effectiveness of 360-degree feedback in evaluating the training received by nurses in a…

Three papers comprise this symposium on women and career development. "Enhancing the Career Success of Women Faculty: Mentoring as a Human Resource Development (HRD) Initiative in Higher Education" (Sharon K. Gibson) explores mentoring of women faculty, focusing on the key dimensions of roles and functions, outcomes, gender, and formal…

Human resource development (HRD) specialists are searching for instructional design models that accommodate e-learning platforms. Van Merrienboer proposed the four-component instructional design model (4C/ID model) for competency-based education. The model's basic message is that well-designed learning environments can always be described in terms…

This document contains three papers from a symposium on expanding perspectives in human resource development (HRD) research. "The Concept of Culture in International and Comparative HRD Research: Methodological Problems and Possible Solutions" (Alexander Ardichvili, K. Peter Kuchinke) discusses the following topics: (1) alternative…

Recent research has identified trends in the training systems of 13 countries in Africa (Egypt, Mauritius, South Africa); the Arab States (Bahrain, Jordan); Asia (Australia, Fiji, Malaysia); Eastern Europe (Albania, Slovenia); Western Europe (Ireland, Portugal); and the Mediterranean region (Malta). The trends identified are legislation;…

The American Hospital Association's Commission on Workforce for Hospitals and Health Systems identified the workforce development related challenges facing health care institutions and issued a series of recommendations regarding how hospital leaders can build a thriving workforce. The change strategies identified by the commission were as…

This research study attempts to determine how teenage workers develop their employability skills in their first formal jobs. Case studies were carried out in 12 Australian enterprises of varying sizes and drawn from different industry areas. In each case study the following staff were interviewed: senior managers and/or human resources management…

The National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE), which represents 65,000 academic staff working in further and higher education (FHE) institutions across the United Kingdom, reviewed the current state of post-16 education and training in the United Kingdom and submitted its views on how the system should be improved.…

This issue hones in on professional development in four key sectors affecting children, youth, and families--K-12 education, early childhood education, child welfare, and youth development. Though these sectors face many of the same professional development challenges, each has its own unique issues, strengths, and goals. The staffing shortage in…

The Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union of Canada assessed literacy learning needs. In focus group discussions, members were asked their perception of such needs in the face of changes in the workplace and society; local union officers (LUOs) were asked how they saw the role of unions in supporting members' literacy learning; employers…

This paper urges foundations and state and federal agencies to consider funding rural community colleges, in light of the successful experiences of the Rural Community College Initiative. Much of rural America is in trouble because educational attainment and job opportunities are low; innovation is stifled by poor schools, isolation, and…

This paper outlines the skills and learning challenges that Canada faces to ensure it meets its skills and learning requirements for the 21st century. It proposes a series of national goals and milestones against which progress can be measured over time and reported on regularly to Canadians. Following an introduction, Sections 2-5 discuss the…