Recent labor market and economic trends have spotlighted the need for work force development systems and policies to simultaneously serve employers seeking qualified workers and individuals who want to find work and advance toward self-sufficiency. This need has in turn led to the development of labor market intermediaries that can perform a wide…

The recent history of apprenticeship in Great Britain was examined to identify the issues arising from the latest reforms and future expansion of the system. A team of university academics with strong research interests in training and skills collected information from a large body of academic work in the field of apprenticeship and training and…

This guide distills lessons from an extensive body of research into practical advice for policymakers and practitioners concerned with helping hard-to-employ individuals find jobs and succeed in the work force. Part 1 examines the following topics: characteristics of the hard-to-employ; the prevalence of various barriers to employment; and the…

The rise of the office economy and its impact on vocational education and training (VET) in Australia were examined by replicating the methodology used in Carnevale and Rose's U.S. study on the impact of the new office economy. Both studies took a functional approach to analyzing economic activities and the work force and focused primarily on…

Existing equity strategies for postcompulsory education and training in Australia were examined to assess their effectiveness in a learning society. First, the equity and access policies in schools, vocational education and training (VET), higher education, and adult community education were compared. Next, educational outcomes of target groups in…

Nonformal education (NFE) in urban Kenya was examined in a study that focused on Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nairobi. Data were collected from the following sources: a literature review; investigations of 88 nonformal, informal, and community schools and centers in the three cities; and interviews with 14 key persons involved in delivery of NFE. The…

Increasing the mobility of service providers, including professionals, via mutual recognition (of regulatory systems) agreements (MRAs) has become a significant issue worldwide. Despite increasing interest in MRAs, it may be argued that MRAs are but one of a larger range of major developments that have fueled current interest in occupational…

Cyclical and structural issues in engineering skills formation in Great Britain were studied through a review of recent employment patterns, income patterns, employment projections, recent trends in education and training, and recent developments in technology and work organization. The review focused on the following issues: (1) the extent and…

Washington's apprenticeship program was compared to other programs providing preparation for employment. The following were among the items considered in the comparative analysis: gains in job-specific skill competencies; relationship of training to postprogram employment; participant satisfaction; employer satisfaction; employment opportunities;…

England's Learning and Skills Development Agency welcomes the introduction of a coherent national funding and delivery strategy for adult literacy, numeracy, and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). The agency believes that the strategy should incorporate the lessons of previous literacy and numeracy initiatives and build on examples of…

In September 1998, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) established a 1-year task force to review the NCES's role concerning lifelong learning. The eight-member task force established a working definition of lifelong learning ("a process or system through which individuals are able and willing to learn at all stages of life,…

This paper discusses policy regarding learning in later life in the United Kingdom. The following are among the topics discussed in chapters 1-12: (1) the importance of lifelong learning; (2) the importance of learning to older people; (3) opportunities for lifelong learning in the United Kingdom; (4) the United Kingdom's aging population; (5)…

This document profiles 10 successful experiences in nonformal education (NFE) programs across Africa. Common features of the programs profiled are as follows: (1) provide educational opportunities for those who have missed out on formal education; (2) show evidence of learners' acquisition of competencies for work and survival; (3) demonstrate…

This is a handbook to assist European adult educators in teaching in a multicultural society, presenting models of intercultural practice for organizational and staff development in youth and adult education. Section 1 explains the document's purpose and use, discusses the objectives and major activities of the Learning to Live in a Multi-Cultural…

This book contains 13 papers on labor market and welfare reform, with special emphasis on the demand for low-wage workers, wages and job characteristics in the less skilled labor market, public politics to increase employment and earnings of less skilled workers, and the impact of welfare reform. The following papers are included: "The Labor…