Recent Australian research provides a solid body of evidence that training investments can yield very high levels of returns for firms across a range of sectors. It highlights these important factors about returns on investment (ROI): ROI come in many forms; immediate ROI are highest when training is highly focused; measuring ROI is not always…

The 2001 Australian national Survey of Employer Views on Vocational Education and Training (VET) was similar to earlier studies but included more questions about employers' views about recent VET graduate employees. The survey was a sample survey and provides estimates of the results that would be found had all employers in Australia been…

A study to compare vocational education and training (VET) systems examined nine countries across these three large geographical regions: Europe, East Asia, and the Americas. It explored variables that most define and influence characteristics, behavior, and apparent success of VET systems and the impact of change. The nine systems were chosen on…

This report reviews the economic and the social benefits and costs of adult education and training (AET) in Canada and examines training in industry. Chapter I provides an introduction and background. Chapter II sets this context: Canada is a country in which legislative authority is shared by federal, provincial, and territorial governments;…

Many organizations are not satisfied that their methods of evaluating training are rigorous or extensive enough to answer questions of value to them. Complaints about Kirkpatrick's popular four-step model (1959) of training evaluation are that each level is assumed to be associated with the previous and next levels and that the model is too simple…

This Alberta curriculum guide defines competencies that help students build daily living skills, investigate career options in logistics occupations, use technology in the logistics field effectively and efficiently, and prepare for entry into the workplace or related postsecondary programs. The first section provides a program rationale and…

The Census of Population provides data on the structure of employment by occupation and industry for Ireland that are supplemented by the Labor Force Survey (LFS), which collects information on employment by occupation and industry. Expected strong growth in the Irish economy from 1993-98 should lead to a significant increase in employment. This…

This report compiles information from a study tour to identify the current status, development, and issues of nonprofit organizations with voluntary boards of management that provide adult and community-based education (ACE) in Australia. An overview of the community-based ACE sector covers organizations in South Australia, Western Australia,…

A survey was designed to assist in constructing a picture of new vocational education and training professionals working in organizational settings in Australia. They were practitioners whose positional titles included training and development (T&D), human resource development, or human resource practitioners who work within organizational…

Research was conducted to develop learning environments based on CD-ROM and printed material specifically for vocational secondary students with reading and writing difficulties. Parties to the action research were Austria, the United Kingdom, Portugal, and Finland. Finnish partners concentrated on learning environments that would diversify and…

This report reviews the structure of the guidance field and provides a sector-by-sector analysis of current quality assurance arrangements in the United Kingdom. Part 1 presents an outline of the guidance sector, including some key concepts, structures, and roles. It defines guidance and other terms; discusses the three main categories…

The theme of this issue is lifelong learning. Contents include a message introducing the publisher's Chief Executive Officer, Devron Gaber, and letters to the editor. A guest editorial, "Lifelong Learning For All: A National, Social, Corporate, and Personal Imperative for the Knowledge-Based 21st Century" (Ron Faris), considers how…

Based on country reports from a meeting of education ministers from 11 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, this book discusses the extent to which lifelong learning for all can be made a reality, including consideration of these three issues: (1) what lifelong learning means and how ambitious or how modest the…

This collection of 20 papers is aimed at researchers, research students, and research supervisors interested in qualitative research into facilitated adult learning in the workplace, formal education programs, professional development, and community settings. "Introduction" (Willis) provides a summary of the papers. "Qualitative…

A study explored the ways that front-line community development workers across Canada gained information needed to work with women participants in community economic development initiatives. Data were gathered through focus groups, a preliminary study with 15 key informants employed in community development organizations, and structured telephone…