The role of universities in preparing students to use spreadsheet and other technical software in the financial services workplace has been investigated through surveys of university graduates, university academics, and employers. It is found that graduates are less skilled users of software than employers would like, due at least in part to a…

Since the late 1970s, the access services librarian or equivalent position has become commonplace in academic libraries, and degreed professionals have been sought for these positions since the beginning. In 2009, David McCaslin, California Institute of Technology, examined the place of access services in American Library Association-accredited…

Research has shown that teaching assistants (TAs) working in mainstream classrooms with special needs students in Australia are being required to perform quite complex tasks such as curriculum modification and differentiation yet they are not required to have any formal qualifications nor training in these tasks. In the United Kingdom, TAs are not…

This virtual conference was the eleventh in a series of moderator-driven discussions introduced by UNESCO-UNEVOC in 2011. Conducted on the UNEVOC e-Forum--a global online community of over 4,000 members--and guided by an expert, these discussions provide a platform for sharing of experiences, expertise and feedback and wish to inspire people to…

Successful transition to work is important for all young people and crucial for those with poor basic skills. Research suggests that speaking and listening skills--an aspect of basic skills often overlooked--are particularly important at work. The message from employers can hardly be clearer--good speaking and listening skills matter at work. How…

This dissertation explored the Best Practices of Executive Coaches who coach C-Level Executives. The set of best practices developed was differentiated from best practices as applied with middle-manager executive clients. C-level executives were deemed to have a role within the organization with unusual influence and complexity and thus worthy of…

Using data from the 2003-04 Schools and Staffing Survey, the authors studied how various aspects of teacher preparation affect the retention of new teachers--specifically mathematics and science teachers. They found that the preparation of new mathematics and science teachers differs from that of other new teachers in various respects, but factors…

In a competitive workforce it is not just having the right qualification or technical skills that will land an individual a job; it could very well be their interpersonal skills. How someone communicates is often the first impression an employer has of a possible worker. Yet, it is precisely communication skills that employers feel applicants are…

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived level of skill development of professional staff (consisting of new professionals, midlevel managers, and senior administrators) at a private university in a Middle Atlantic state. The secondary purpose of this study was to determine the activities and methods respondents prefer to use to…

Purpose: The importance of purchasing and supply management (PSM) for business performance has received considerable attention in recent years. However, research on PSM training and education is inadequate. This paper aims to present initial findings from PSM practitioners about current PSM training and education needs in Hong Kong.…

There is a great deal of research detailing the WHAT of effective school leadership--what school leaders in traditional schools need to know and do to lead in those schools. There is little research, however, on what leaders of alternative education programs need to know and do. Also, in contrast to the many higher education preparation programs…

An increasingly aging workforce and advances in technology are changing work environments and structures. The continued employability of older adults, particularly those of lower socioeconomic status (SES), requires them to participate in training programs to ensure their competence in today's workplace. Focus groups with 37 unemployed adults…

Specific objectives of this study were to: test alternative methods of determining training needs; identify methods of determining training needs that may be more efficient than those previously used by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service; and develop recommendations for procedures that may be useful in determining training needs of newly…

Purpose: This paper aims to describe a research project that is addressing the employability of individuals in the higher-cost Irish economy. Design/methodology/approach: The Programme for University-Industry Interface (PUII) uses a community-of-practice methodology combined with academic research. Findings: A number of emerging enterprise models…

The purpose of this national study was to profile mid-level student affairs managers and to determine the importance they placed on professional development skills. The need for further skill development was compared to perceived skill importance. Preferred methods of staff development were also ascertained. Most popular were conferences,…