Outlines three major approaches to writing instruction (expressive, cognitive, and social); examines areas in which faculty, employers, and higher education policymakers agree and disagree about necessary writing skills; describes institutional structures that support writing, including writing centers, course offerings,…

This text presents the context, theories, resources, and strategies necessary to promote the employment of people with disabilities. The book is intended for rehabilitation professionals, special educators, psychologists, social workers, mental health counselors, vocational counselors, and vocational educators. The 12 chapters are based on a model…

The rationale for high school dropout reduction programs rests mainly on evidence that graduates are more successful than dropouts in the labor market. It is not evident, however, whether this difference is attributable to the diploma itself or to underlying characteristics that affect both graduation and labor market success. This paper estimates…

This guide summarizes key principles drawn from successful programs for helping unemployed workers find new jobs and presents a systematic approach to help states plan and manage their worker readjustment efforts. The guide contains two major sections. The first section is an overview and summary that includes background on the dislocation…

This study was conducted to describe and to analyze how employers respond to information presented to them on application forms and in interviews when they make hiring decisions for entry-level jobs. The approach of the study was to observe the responses of 56 employers in the Columbus, Ohio, area to simulated hiring settings concerning youthful…

The skill needs of Australian high-technology start-up companies and the implications of those skill needs for vocational education and training (VET) were examined through a study of 14 start-ups' inherent abilities to access the VET system and on VET's relevance to their needs. The case studies documented a strong demand and role for VET in the…

This guide is designed to provide counselors and training instructors with the materials to teach clients the human survival skills necessary for job success. Ten one-hour training sessions which offer an action-oriented approach emphasizing conceptual skills such as planning, communication, and decision making include: (1) the importance of…

The Michigan Student Information System (MiSIS) is the student flow component of the Michigan Community College Occupational Education Evaluation System (MCCOEES), a comprehensive state-wide system for evaluating occupational education. The Michigan Student Information System (MiSIS) Activities Manual was designed to help college-level personnel…

A study investigated general and vocational skills of 32 British business undergraduates before and after their field experiences, as perceived by the students and their employers. Although the parties agree that some skill development occurred during field experience, substantial discrepancies between student and employer perceptions of actual…

In spring 1990, a survey was conducted of all 247 students who had received an associate degree or certificate from Howard Community College (HCC) during fiscal year 1989. The purpose of the study was to evaluate programs and student services at HCC by collecting and analyzing data on the experiences and various outcomes of the college's…

This document provides the procedures and instruments through which vocational education program personnel may evaluate or reevaluate the value and effectiveness of their program. It was prepared to help secondary vocational educators prepare for self-evaluation of their programs and site visits by educational personnel as part of a statewide…

This study was conducted to assess business and industry's perceptions of the basic skills needed for entry-level successful employment. It also assessed business and industry's perceptions of the competencies that entry-level employees now have. Information was gathered via a basic skills questionnaire that was mailed to the personnel directors…

A study analyzed the explicit and implicit behavior of employers in their assessment of young job applicants for entry-level clerical, retail trade, and machine trade jobs. In order to determine the influence of applicants' education and skills on employability assessments made by employers, the researchers analyzed data from almost 600 mail…

Structured interviews with 19 leaders and potential employers in health- and human-services fields elicited information about the knowledge, skills, and attitudes sought in master's in social work (MSW) graduates. Commonly desired characteristics were knowledge of research processes, writing and communication skills, critical thinking skills, and…

The Employability Skills Curriculum is a functional curriculum designed to help in teaching critical employability skills to students with mild disabilities. The curriculum sequence focuses upon the skills of getting a job and holding that job over time. The 65 lesson plans are organized into 13 units which cover: (1) preparing to look for a job,…