By the end of 2005, the oldest baby boomers will begin turning 60. Although baby boomers have generally done better than any previous generation in terms of income and education, not all baby boomers have been successful. As baby boomers age, the total economically disadvantaged population will increase. Consequently, over the next decade, the…

This document profiles the following 13 regional partnerships that together constitute Arizona's school-to-work (STW) system: Cochise STW Partnership; Coconino County STW Partnership; Eastern Arizona STW Partnership; East Valley STW Initiative; Mohave Workforce Development Partnership; Northeast Valley School to Work Consortium; Northland School…

The literature on the training provided by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Great Britain was reviewed to determine the extent and quality of training available and the link between training provision and small business performance. Smaller firms were less likely to offer training, and the training they did provide was generally…

This report describes the background and links among education, training, labor market, economy, and society. Part 1 deals with the statutory, institutional, and political background to vocational education and training (VET), steering of VET systems, funding, and performance of VET systems and the European context. Part 2 discusses research on…

This handbook, which was developed for federal managers, explains how low-cost and no-cost training methods developed in the private sector and the services and support available from federal human resource development (HRD) offices can be used to build a smarter and more productive work force. Presented in part 1 are the following: seven…

A new phenomenon is emerging: companies are diverging from human capital theory by providing employees a general education in addition to specific training at the workplace. Blue collar workers often do not pursue higher education due to perceived lack of opportunities. If an employer provides educational opportunities, blue collar workers may…

This document presents model work standards articulating components of the child care center-based work environment that enable teachers to do their jobs well. These standards establish criteria to assess child care work environments and identify areas to improve in order to assure good jobs for adults and good care for children. The standards are…

A study examined challenges associated with investigating the role and occupational identity of learning practitioners who operate within the organizational as opposed to the educational institution context. These challenges include the following: (1) naming this group of organizational practitioners; (2) distribution of learning responsibilities;…

A study was conducted to determine what factors of human resource development (HRD) or other learning interventions impede or enhance improved performance. A review of the literature suggested theories of HRD effectiveness, where HRD effectiveness is perceived as the extent to which HRD goals and objectives are achieved. Various authors state that…

In the past few years, union activists and some policymakers have increasingly portrayed part-time work as problematic for a worker. According to statistics compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the part-time "problem" is more rhetoric than reality. Only 17% of U.S. workers are classified as part-time. Of those 17%, 15% are…

This document presents and discusses a self-assessment checklist that the General Accounting Office (GAO) developed to enable agency leaders to examine their human capital efforts through a process consisting of the following stages: analyze and plan; implement change; and evaluate and continuously improve. The preface defines the term "human…

In this book, 16 authors from Europe, Africa, and the United States reflect on the transformations that are currently taking place in the field of adult and continuing education. The 12 chapters are "Reconciling the Irreconcilable? Adult and Continuing Education Between Personal Development, Corporate Concerns, and Public Responsibility"…

This document contains three papers on human resource development (HRD) in Asia. "The Experiences of HRD Professionals Participating in Continuing Professional Development in Taiwan" (Yu-Shu [Jason] Chen) reports on a study that was based on the method of hermeneutic phenomenology and conducted to describe and interpret the experiences…

This symposium on human resource development (HRD) and small manufacturers consists of three presentations. "Toward a Model of Technical Assistance for Small Manufacturers: The Role of Performance Technology" (Dale C. Brandenburg) reviews literature documenting the need for technical assistance to small manufacturers, especially as it…

The first of the papers in this poster session, "Developing the Employment Brand: Targeting MBA Campus Hires" (Diane M. Bergeron), posits that employment branding benefits both individuals and organizations. It functions as a campus recruiting tool in a competitive labor market and communicates the organization's values and work…