This document contains 143 papers and innovative sessions, three poster sessions presented at a conference on human resource development (HRD). A program overview, author index, and a keyword index are also included. The papers are grouped by the conference's 42 symposia, which were devoted to the following topics: women's HRD-related issues;…

A longitudinal study examined the college and career transitions of graduates of the Lansing Area Manufacturing Partnership (LAMP) program, which is a school-to-career (STC) program sponsored by the United Auto Workers, General Motors Corporation, and Michigan's Ingham County Intermediate School District. The progress of three cohorts of LAMP…

The effects that recent changes in Australia's vocational education and training (VET) system over the past decade have had on VET practitioners were examined. Interviews were conducted with 28 VET teachers working at a variety of sites across Australia, including technical and further education, adult and community education, private colleges,…

The effectiveness of state enterprise zone programs was examined by using a hypothetical-firm model called the Tax and Incentives Model-Enterprise Zones (TAIM-ez) model to analyze the value of enterprise zone incentives to businesses across the United States and especially in the 13 states that had substantial enterprise zone programs by 1990. The…

The literacy programs and policies implemented in Australia over the past decade were reviewed to identify initiatives that have and have not had a positive impact on vocational education and training (VET) and lifelong learning opportunities. Policies and practices in seven other countries were also reviewed. The following themes received…

The social and economic impacts of adult and community education (ACE) in Australia were examined in an exploratory study. A provider survey that was sent to approximately 1,900 ACE providers elicited 315 responses (response rate, approximately 17%), and a student survey that was sent to 4,000 ACE students generated 400 responses (response rate,…

Youth development lies at the heart of the Workforce Investment Act and the Youth Opportunity Movement. Like employment training programs for adults, employment training programs for youth should focus on acquisition of skills, gainful employment, and productive citizenship. Beyond these three characteristics, it is essential that programs for…

Training indicators are functional suites of quantitative and qualitative indicators of current or future vocational education and training (VET) supply and demand. The training indicators approach to educational planning considers indicators of present and likely future conditions for skilled labor and forms judgments about the most appropriate…

The participation of women in vocational education and training (VET) in Australia in 1996-1999 was examined. Data for the analysis were obtained from annual national VET data collections and relevant reports. The analysis focused on the following areas: general trends, fields of study, qualifications, areas of learning, module outcomes,…

Recent efforts to build economic and work force development systems in seven leading cities were reviewed to inform similar efforts undertaken in Baltimore, Maryland. Research examining efforts to establish work force development systems in the following cities were analyzed: Austin, Texas; Berkeley, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Cleveland,…

The national policies and implementation mechanisms for girls' primary and women's basic education in the following Asian countries were examined: Lao People's Democratic Republic; Nepal, Thailand; Indonesia; and India. The analysis focused on the following issues: (1) goals and progress; (2) national policies; (3) strategies (strengthening…

This report examines the experiences of students who borrow to finance their education, but do not complete their postsecondary programs. Using the latest comprehensive data, this report compares borrowers who drop out with other groups of students, and provides recommendations on policies and programs that would better prepare, support, and guide…

This report provides data on student characteristics, enrollments, and flow in Oklahoma's postsecondary education institutions, public and private, including two-year colleges. Maps and tables, with some narrative, present information on enrollments as a percentage of population, rates of entry into postsecondary education, geographic distribution…

Data from the Schools and Staffing Survey, and from New York and Texas, were analyzed in 1999 to identify prevailing trends in the vocational education (VE) teacher labor market. The data, all secondary sources, were analyzed by using a set of indicators for detecting shortage or surplus conditions, and a set of guidelines for developing…

The increasing emphasis on entrepreneurship and self-employment training in vocational education and training (VET) worldwide was examined. Special attention was paid to the following themes: (1) the content and various concepts of entrepreneurship, including the distinction between external and internal entrepreneurship; (2) trends in…