Reviews the direction that labor and industry are taking to meet the transition that is occurring within the US automotive industry. Specific implications for cooperative education in supporting further training and development for both the displaced and the current automotive work force are presented. (CT)

Describes how customized training (i.e., contracted training provided by college personnel for individual firms in exchange for a fee) has evolved in the United States. Discusses links between customized training and three specific economic development strategies. Presents an operational definition of customized training to provide a basis for its…

Discusses the impact of technological change on the technical and "employability" skills required of the modern labor force. Outlines specific content and faculty upgrading areas that general education programs should address to meet workforce needs. Discusses the current crisis in vocational education and the relationship between general…

Developed by an advisory board of industry and education representatives to raise issues for the consideration of policy makers, community college administrators, labor leaders, and managers in Michigan, this report discusses the increasing significance of training to industry; the challenge to public education and, in particular, to community…

Trends in the workplace and legislative mandates have forced community colleges to consider how to integrate general education with vocational training successfully. The technological base of American industry has changed dramatically in the direction of greater complexity and interdependence, requiring workers to possess not only higher levels of…

A discussion is provided of how breakthroughs in the application of computers in the manufacturing of automobiles affect the development of community college programs, with particular emphasis on how Michigan community colleges have developed a capacity to respond to changes in this field. First, the paper explains what computer-based…

Although objectively measurable achievement of outcomes is an important guide to the quality of education, the process of defining and assuring the quality of technical education and training must include consideration for the context in which technical education and training occurs. It is also critical to remember that education has two sets of…