Innovation has powered America's economy, creating good jobs and a high standard of living. Yet, the U.S. share of innovation-based industries is in decline, jeopardizing our status as the world's innovation leader. And one reason is that the United States has been unable to produce enough of its own workers with sufficient skills in science,…

Is the United States getting it wrong when it comes to educating tomorrow's innovators in critical fields? It has been known for years that the only way to compete globally in information technology, engineering, nanotechnology, robotics and other fields is to give students the best educational opportunities possible. But do individuals have a…

The Windward Islands (Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines) have taken several approaches to educate the work force and prepare for the technology-driven society of the future. These approaches include government initiatives, such as the governments' commitment to primary education and more recently to secondary…

The information and service industries are and will remain the largest areas of growth/employment. Among current/projected changes in the work environment are the following: greater competition within/beyond the continental borders of the United States; increasing reliance on new equipment/processes; more/constantly changing information to be…

State governments across the nation are engaging community colleges as cornerstones of their comprehensive economic development strategies. This executive summary summarizes the efforts of 10 states, recommended by national experts, to deploy community colleges in support of state economic development priorities. The 10 states are: Florida,…

State governments across the nation are engaging community colleges as cornerstones of their comprehensive economic development strategies. This report summarizes the efforts of 10 states, recommended by national experts, to deploy community colleges in support of state economic development priorities. The 10 states are: Florida, Mississippi,…

A digital divide, a chasm between those with access to technology and training, particularly workplace information technology (IT) skills and those without, threatens the economic prosperity of American workers and America's competitiveness. The most effective way to reduce digital disparities is to improve the education and training of the…

This paper focuses on the demand for and supply of intermediate-level vocational skills within the United Kingdom (UK) economy. Using existing research from surveys and case studies, Part One argues that there is a lack of evidence that widespread intermediate-skill shortages exist within the expanding service sector. In the manufacturing sector,…

Review of the methods for estimating future employment opportunities shows that there is an ongoing system, involving the Department of Labor and state employment agencies, for making projections for the United States as a whole and for states and major metropolitan areas. This system combines national research on economic growth, technological…

The manpower survey, conducted in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, determined current and future manpower requirements and related them to the occupational skills needed in the vocational-technical program in the schools. Data were obtained from employer respondents through a mail questionnaire sent to nearly 1,800 firms in the parish with a return of…

A study was undertaken in Florida to examine the impact of the state universities on the state's workforce, using data sources from a follow-up program called the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program, which uses data from the unemployment insurance wage database, federal employment databases, continuing education data at…

Will the nation have the trained workforce required to deal with environmental problems in the 1980s and beyond? With the growing public concern about hazardous wastes, impure drinking water, polluted air, use and care of natural resources, and new legislation and funding targeted at these concerns, the need for examining workforce requirements…

Employers are experiencing difficulties filling vacancies for information technology (IT) positions because of rapid growth in the demand for IT workers, high turnover, and the unique characteristics of IT work. In response to the growing demand for IT workers, public and private education and training providers are expanding their offerings and…

From a macroeconomic perspective, the evolving demand for skills in the United States has been triggered by the accelerated expansion of computer and information technology, which has, in turn, brought significant changes to the workplace. Technological advances have made some wholly manual jobs obsolete. But even for many other workers, a rapidly…

In order to respond effectively to the profound impact that high technology has had on the labor market in Wisconsin, members of the Wisconsin Board of Vocational, Technical, and Adult Education (VTAE) must address a number of key human, curriculum, policy, and technological concerns. State VTAE agencies must close ranks, maintain close…