International review of vocational-technical education and training finds it delivered in diverse locations to different groups. Diversity of curriculum content and government role yields not single best practice. Problems in a particular country are best solved by building on established vocational-technical culture. (SK)

Vocational-technical education can play a substantial role in work force preparation if (1) unfounded assumptions are avoided; (2) supply/demand information is improved; and (3) equity effects of different policy options are examined. More educated trainees often benefit more from training than less educated ones. (SK)

State efforts to produce coordinated employment and training programs are complicated by lack of clear lines of command and complexity of intergovernmental policies. Leadership, acceptance of the legitimacy of multiple programs, and degree of coordination effort are essential for successful coordination. (SK)

Provides technical training managers with an overview of the range of Web-based training solutions available to their organizations. Defines four broad categories of web-based training programs and characterizes each. Analyzes the most popular type (Web/computer based), and presents four levels of such programs. (RS)

Discusses the importance of work in the lives of children, especially young urban men. It is essential that society reconnect young people to the world of work, both by making jobs and training available and by helping youth develop the attitudes that will make them willing to work. (SLD)

Reviews developments in technical and vocational education in South Africa: National Qualifications Framework, Curriculum 2005,and enterprise development. Addresses issues of articulation, funding, and market responsiveness. Concludes that practices might be imposed from above and government agencies do not yet have the capacity to develop and…

Hispanic and Native-American seasonal Park Service employees in the Southwest are training younger local workers in masonry preservation in a National Park Service effort to establish a ruins preservation program. These new technicians will also learn to document, photograph, and report on preservation activities and follow legal administrative…

Language ability is a holistic competence that encompasses both cognitive and social skills. Second languages are key skills for mobility in the European Union, but given minimal attention. The position of language instruction and teacher training must be strengthened in vocational training. (SK)

Identifies three needs: critical discourse between evaluators of vocational training programs and policymakers/administrators; greater convergence between training policy and labor market policy; and coherent research using both process- and product-oriented quality indicators. (SK)

Through a structured "grow your own" model, the Capistrano Unified School District in California is focusing on developing leaders from within. Strong teachers with leadership potential are actively recruited to enter the administrative arena as elementary-teaching assistant principals. Assistant principals are given principal-level…

Comparison of funding methods for vocational education and training in Denmark, France, Germany, and Britain reveals distinctive patterns based on socioeconomic and cultural national conditions. A broad spectrum of methods is apparent: individual contributions, joint-enterprise ventures, tax incentives, and vouchers. (SK)

Reviews the subject matter, methodology, and objectives of European research on vocational training. Outlines research needs for the Member States of the European Union. (SK)

Discussion of opportunities for minorities in information technology (IT), especially in the Washington, DC area, focuses on the region's exploding IT growth, opportunities for public and private postsecondary institutions, outreach initiatives to attract underrepresented minorities to the IT field, government's role, and the role of black…

A needs assessment project designed to identify the performance improvement training needs of Louisiana state government employees (n=2,000) focused on strategic goals and employee perceptions. The difficulties of large-scale needs assessment were highlighted and implications for research were identified. (Contains 31 references.) (JOW)

This overview of the Irish educational system examines vocational education and training, the role of the European Union, legislative measures, and institutional reforms. The following challenges are discussed: economic infrastructure, skill shortages, and the inclusiveness of the educational system. (SK)