These proceedings consist of summaries of the following papers and discussions that were presented at a conference designed to bring leaders from education, business, state and local government, and labor together to discuss Minnesota's need to address the issue of basic skills in the workplace. The volume begins with a foreword by Rosemarie Park…

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…

This document contains four symposium papers on work force development. "Effects of Two Different Learning Paths on School-to-Work Transition" (Esther Van Der Schoot) discusses a Dutch study documenting that the following items make a difference in the school-to-work transition: learning path, curriculum characteristics, individual…

This study of the conditions of developmental on-the-job training and learning for operators in highly automated industries is written in Swedish but contains an English abstract and 18-page summary. The summary begins with the study objectives, which were to determine the following: (1) conditions of developmental on-the-job learning in highly…

This report documents the central role of the college-educated workforce in improving labour productivity across the economy and supporting an innovation culture in the workplace. It describes critical "enabling occupations" that play a key role in allowing companies to build a culture of innovation in the workplace which they need if…

The widespread deployment and use of Information Technologies (IT) has paved the way for change in many fields of our societies. The Internet, mobile computing, social networks and many other advances in human communications have become essential to promote and boost education, technology and industry. On the education side, the new challenges…

This package consists of a course syllabi, an instructor's handbook, and a student laboratory manual for a 2-year vocational training program to prepare students for entry-level employment as mold makers. The program was developed through a modification of the DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) technique. The course syllabi volume begins with the…

Workplace literacy projects were established at Warn Industries, a winch and hubcap maker, and Oregon Cutting Systems (OCS), a producer of cutting edges supplying the timber industry by Clackamas Community College (Oregon). At Warn, project staff developed functional context materials, delivered instruction to a math class, and implemented a basic…

Leupold & Stevens, Inc. and Portland Community College (Oregon) cooperated in offering special math instruction as part of a workplace literacy project. A needs assessment indicated a problem in basic math skills such as simple calculations on a calculator and decimals, which were used on blueprints. Operators, set-up workers, and lead workers…

Interviews with managers and other staff were used to assess the communication and language development needs of limited-English-proficient (LEP) workers at Lattice Works of Oregon (LWO) Corporation. Task analysis was used by Portland Community College (Portland) to develop a curriculum for twice-weekly classes held before or after shift changes.…

The Lansing Area Manufacturing Partnership (LAMP) is an academically rigorous, business/labor-driven school-to-career program in Lansing, Michigan, that includes business, union, school, and parent partners. The effects of participation in LAMP on transitions from school to higher education and work were examined in a longitudinal study that…

This package consists of course syllabi, an instructor's handbook, and a student laboratory manual for a 2-year vocational training program to prepare students for entry-level employment as manufacturing technicians. The program was developed through a modification of the DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) technique. The course syllabi volume begins…

This curriculum package on leadership--the machinery of management for supervisors, auditors, and training instructors has been developed by the Workforce 2000 Partnership, a network of industries and educational institutions that provides training in communication, computation, and creative thinking to employees and supervisors in textile,…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on assessing employee skills. "Bridging the Training Gap: Identifying Work Place Transferable Skills Needs in Manufacturing Organizations in East Central Minnesota" (K. Peter Kuchinke, James M. Brown, Howie Anderson, Joe Hobson) reports a study of a workplace education program in rural…

The Schneider Skills Enhancement Program is a workplace literacy partnership between the medical manufacturing firm Schneider, Inc., and the Adult Academic Program of the Robbinsdale Area Schools in Minnesota. A literacy audit of 39 Schneider employees established a need for instruction in literacy, numeracy, and English as a Second Language (ESL)…