This paper explores the background to and process of quality circles as well as the implications of circles for training. In the first section, the emergence and growth of quality circles in Japan and the United States are traced. Next, the theoretical and conceptual bases of quality circles are examined, while section 3 looks at implementation in…

The purpose of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) is to establish job training and employment assistance programs for economically disadvantaged youth and hard-to-hire, unskilled adults. Like the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), JTPA works through a locally based program delivery system. Unlike CETA, JTPA calls for equal…

Youth apprenticeship programs differ from the registered apprenticeship that is regulated by federal and state governments. Defined as a "learning program for young people, age 16 and older, that integrates on-the-job training with school-based instruction, that bridges high school and postsecondary schooling, and that results in both academic…

Reauthorization of welfare reform legislation has focused attention on the effectiveness of short-term training as a means for welfare recipients to attain self-sufficiency. Its effects on employment and earnings have been one focus of recent evaluations of federal programs. Although some Job Opportunities and Basic Skills programs produced…

Program rationale, goals, and strategies are outlined in this description of Arizona-based centers which trained migrant workers in the use of microcomputers for business and clerical applications. Topics include the need to create new jobs for displaced farm workers, the assets farm workers bring to the business world, the training-related…

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 authorized a comprehensive workforce improvement program that will significantly impact rural areas. Local schools can help shape implementation of WIA because of its principles of local participation, increased skills for workers, and improved youth programs. This digest focuses on WIA's major elements,…

Intended as a forum for the discussion of customized workforce training at community colleges, this book addresses the practical considerations, programs, and strategies that come into play when colleges engage in customized contract training for fully-employed learners. The 10 chapters are as follows: (1) "Training for Customized Training:…

In an attempt to facilitate the professional preparation of outdoor educators, the directory lists and describes 46 outdoor or environmental education internship programs in 21 states. Organized by state, programs are listed alphabetically by sponsoring institution. Most entries include: the name of the institution; the program name; mailing…

Current types of industry-sponsored educational programs, training facilities, and teaching and evaluation methods are described. The history of education and training within the corporate world and the roles of government and unions are traced. Factors that have limited college and industrial cooperation in employee education are also identified.…

The demographic characteristics of teenaged parents reveal a majority who are aged 18-21, live in poverty, have dropped out of school, and are unemployed and unmarried. Their potential for high school graduation is often dependent upon their support network and life course adaptation. Employment patterns of teen parents show high unemployment and…

For those individuals wishing to know more about the topic, this publication provides an introduction to industry-specific training. The need for industry-specific training programs (ISTPs) is addressed. An overview follows of how to develop the capacity needed in state and local organizations to design and implement industry-specific programs. A…

The community college's role in economic development has expanded beyond providing traditional vocational education and job training to include activities as diverse as management and technical assistance for new and small businesses, tech prep programs with high schools, cooperative education programs, partnerships with state agencies, and…

This collection of essays discusses ways in which community colleges and proprietary schools have been able to cope with changes in employer and student markets. The collection includes: (1) "Marching to the Market: A New Tune for Training Organizations," by Wellford W. Wilms; (2) "California's Employment Training Panel: Creating Incentives for…

This collection of essays examines issues that educators must address to maintain occupational education's prominent role in the future. Kathleen F. Arns considers the implications of uncertain enrollment patterns, changing delivery systems, an uneasy economic climate, government policies, and collaboration efforts. The history of occupational…

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…