Learning and skills contribute to economic growth both directly, by improving the skills base available to employers, and indirectly, by underpinning the five foundations of productivity identified by the government: ideas, people, infrastructure, business environment, and places. This is the case for all levels of learning from basic skills to…

THE ROLE OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT IS ILLUSTRATED IN REPORTS OF VARIED RETRAINING PROGRAMS (PART OF THE ACTIVE MANPOWER POLICY) IN GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND SWEDEN. THE PROGRAMS INCLUDE SUCH ACTIVITIES AS--(1) FINANCIAL ENCOURAGEMENT OF INDUSTRY TO PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING THE OLDER ADULT, (2) RETRAINING TO MEET…

The concept of the free agent learner, which has roots in self-directed and informal learning theory, has recently emerged as a factor important to attracting, developing, and keeping knowledge workers. The literature on free agent learning holds important lessons for today's free agent learners, human resource developers, and work organizations.…

No longer is it possible for individuals to go through their working lives using only the skills and training they acquired during their initial schooling. Instead, they need to continually acquire new skills and re-think their career goals to meet changing job requirements and economic conditions. In order to help adults learn new skills and…