Two pilot studies tested a postgraduate internship model to prepare entry-level nurses with the support of clinical preceptors. Elements included preceptor training and a core competence assessment tool. The second pilot resulted in improvements in transition to practice and satisfaction with preceptors. (Contains 15 references.) (SK)

Examines the various concepts of an entry-level job and presents some survey data on occupational entrants that provide some insight on this issue. A table gives total number of entrants, number without experience, and percentage without experience for more than 160 occupations. (JOW)

Ratings by two panels of southeastern U.S. business executives revealed the following: (1) communication ability was most important for business graduates; (2) practical knowledge was valued more than theory; (3) personal qualities were more valued than computer/math skills; and (4) total quality management was important, but globalization and…

Intensive care unit nurses formed a learning group led by an experienced nurse to develop skills and knowledge about trauma. Multiple strategies included lectures, demonstrations, literature review, audiotapes, and case studies. After 4 months, novices improved their ability to perform procedures and skills. (SK)

Informal learning among workers takes place continuously. Companies that want to capitalize on it should encourage communities of practice and mentoring and eliminate communication barriers. (SK)

The research reported in this paper examined the role of welfare reform in increasing the availability of entry-level workers to meet the rising demand for long-term care employees. Findings from national and statewide evaluations of welfare programs show mixed results in the extent to which beneficiaries could be shifted from welfare caseloads to…

Constant changes in society and the public health domain force public health professionals into new roles and the development of new competencies. Public health professionals will need to be trained to respond to this challenge. The aim of this comparative study among Poland, the UK and the Netherlands is to identify competence needs for Master of…

Understanding complex systems is fundamental to understanding science. The complexity of such systems makes them very difficult to understand because they are composed of multiple interrelated levels that interact in dynamic ways. The goal of this study was to understand how experts and novices differed in their understanding of two complex…

It was a banner year for women in 2006. Their average annual starting salary finally cracked through the $40,000 glass barrier, increasing to $40,566 for all women and with a substantial gain of 11.3% for women in the Southwest. There was small, but solid, growth in salaries overall. Another surprise was the substantial leap in graduates reporting…

Employers' perceptions of beginning office workers' problems include lack of knowledge about the labor market, inability to assess personal qualifications and skills, unrealistic occupational aspirations, use of interview techniques, interpersonal relations and work attitudes, and lack of knowledge about those personal qualities and factors…

Describes a study to identify the writing criteria that will assist entry-level accountants in writing acceptable reports and memoranda. (JOW)

Responses from 181 accountants and 74 human resources professionals (14.2% response rate) identified areas in which they feel entry-level accountants are deficient: verification of computations by hand and the level of job and internship experience, especially with computers. (SK)

A study following five new nurses during the first 6 months of practice explored development of conceptual, theoretical, and practical knowledge. Participants had been educated in a behaviorist paradigm emphasizing task performance over critical thinking. Thus, they did not critically challenge assumptions or question theoretical constructs…

Survey responses from 255 of 800 human resource development managers identified 8 business understandings/competencies for new trainers: preparing presentations, writing business correspondence, using computers, understanding employee behavior, making speeches/presentations, knowing principles of group process and organizational behavior, and…

In a survey, 88 of 120 Iowa extension agents with fewer than 5 years' experience rated training in human behavior and program development/evaluation as most needed in orientation. Topics selected were meeting staff, time management, motivation, and teaching methods. More individualized and varied methods for training delivery were preferred. (SK)