This document focuses on investigations of three main issues of "User Choice," which has been applied to New Apprenticeships since 1998. The issues are as follows: (1) why some firms do not access User Choice when arranging training for their trainees and apprentices; (2) whether the size of the firm has a significant impact on User…

In Malaysia, vocational education and training (VET) is accorded a high priority in the nation's industrialization agenda. With the vision of becoming an industrialized nation in 2020, Malaysia must prepare a well-educated, skilled, and competitive workforce. The government has placed human resource development as a major emphasis and strategic…

In 1990 a study was conducted whose purpose was to establish empirically the degree to which governance of each state community college system was centralized or decentralized. This data would provide information on which to base decisions for changing governance structures. The 1990 study was replicated in 1997. A 100% response rate was obtained…

The passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) in 1996 has ushered in a new era of welfare reform. A work-first approach emphasizes self-sufficiency designed to move welfare recipients into the workforce as quickly as possible. The first of two issues related to the current context of welfare-to-work…

For many years, farmworkers in Zimbabwe have been a marginalized and neglected community. This book describes the lives of hired farmworkers' children in their own words. Over 850 children aged 10-17 were interviewed or wrote essays in English or Shona. Nearly all the children were in elementary school in grades 4-7. Many farm children undergo…

Three presentations are provided from Symposium 39, Integrating Learning with Working, of the Academy of Human Resource Development (HRD) 2000 Conference Proceedings. "Constructing Knowledge in Continuing Professional Education [CPE]" (Barbara J. Daley, Merryl Carlsson) reports an analysis of the interrelationships between professional…

This document contains three papers from a symposium on human resource development (HRD) and employee outcomes that was conducted as part of a HRD conference. "The Impact of Participating in Human Resource Development Activities on Individuals' Job Level and Income" (Tim de Jong, Bob Witziers, Martin Mulder) presents the results of a…

The first of the four papers in this symposium, "Knowledge Management and Knowledge Dissemination" (Wim J. Nijhof), presents two case studies exploring the strategies companies use in sharing and disseminating knowledge and expertise among employees. "A Theory of Knowledge Management" (Richard J. Torraco), develops a conceptual…

These three papers are from a symposium on human resource development (HRD) professional development. "Mentoring as a Tool for Faculty Development: Predicting Positive Outcomes for Mentors" (Ellen J. Mullen, John Van Ast, Harry Grant) describes a study of the relationship between mentoring outcomes and mentoring activities and mentor and mentee…

This study explored the implications of demographic trends on the quality of the future labor force and on public social expenditures. It also focused on the educational costs and social benefits of educational and immigration policy alternatives designed to close the gap in educational attainment between non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics and…

In an effort to secure some public funding, Great Britain's Trades Union Congress (TUC) obtained accreditation of its programs through the National Open College Network (NOCN). Tutor and union representative expectations and perceptions of the accreditation were examined in a study that included group and individual interviews and surveys of union…

This publication highlights and explains relevant Minnesota legislative developments affecting higher education. For each bill, there is a summary provided in plain English, followed by copies of related portions of the legislation. The bills presented are: (1) Higher Education Omnibus Funding Bill (H.F. 2380); (2) Bonding Omnibus Bill (H.F.…

This document describes generic skills profiles relevant to key jobs in information and communications technology (ICT). The profiles cover the main job areas for which the ICT industry is experiencing skills shortages. These types of information are provided for 18 generic job profiles: job description (vision, role, lifestyle); examples of job…

A major proposition is that dual training arrangements alone do not necessarily solve quality problems in the delivery of vocational education and training (VET) nor improve VET links to the labor market. An essential strategy for Australia should be to further develop holistic training courses linked to apprenticeship models and embed both into a…

This guide offers a framework for action for employer associations to help their members develop school-to-career programs that reflect the needs of today's workplace. The framework for action covers three areas: (1) identifying the major constituents; (2) understanding the constituents' needs; and (3) helping employers effect change. The…