An investigation focused on communication demands of the workplace, specifically those placed on checkout operators at a supermarket in Queensland, Australia. Key questions organized the investigation: What is the nature of communication in this workplace? How can this information be obtained? and How can the information be used to develop…

The principal roles for publicly sponsored retraining programs are twofold: (1) to reduce the private and social costs associated with unnecessary delays in the reemployment process; and (2) to assist in the replacement of specific human capital lost when a permanent layoff takes place. Nine different demonstration projects and operating programs…

This two-part guide is for printing machinists in Australia who are responsible for providing on-the-job training to apprentices and retraining to adult workers. The aim of the package is to provide training in the use of sheet-fed offset lithographic presses. Part A provides introductory materials for the on-the-job trainers, including the…

This newsletter deals with lifelong learning and adult and continuing education. Included in the issue are the following articles: "The Learning Society," by Solveig M. Turner; "Adult Education at the Beginning of the 1980s," by J. Roby Kidd; "Lifelong Learning in an International Perspective: Selected Case Studies,"…

This annotated bibliography documents the resources collected and held by the Adult Basic Education Resource and Information Service in Victoria, Australia. The resources and readings listed include materials that are related in some way to workplace-based education and training--not only specific workplace materials, but also materials related to…

A project was conducted in Australia to investigate the most effective ways whereby learners receive informal and formal support to assist them to successfully complete vocational education and training (VET), either in school or in business job-training programs. Data were collected through a literature review, a case study of 11 organizations,…

A study explored the role of the workplace trainer in the building of training/learning cultures in workplaces in Australia. Following a literature review, stage 1 data collection involved observations and interviews in 18 enterprises in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia where trainers were facilitating learning with one or two…

The Training Guarantee Act (TGA) passed by the Federal Parliament of Australia in 1990 establishes a training guarantee scheme. It requires employers to invest in high quality, employment-related training that will most benefit their businesses. The levy is having an impact on many facets of human resource development in Australia. In seeking to…

In 2000, a quantitative telephone survey of 2,098 businesses in Australia determined employer awareness of and participation in structured workplace learning (SWL) programs. It explored "drivers" of participation and employers' decision-making process. Comparisons with a 1998 survey identified changes in employer awareness, attitudes,…

This kit of training strategies and case studies is designed to help trainers to become more successful with their communication and training in the tourism and hospitality industry and to train employees with low language, literacy, and numeracy skills more effectively and efficiently. It is intended for trainers who do some on-the-job skills…

A study examined whether there were any differences in the performance of apprentices trained in off-the-job, on-the-job, or in-plant training programs. A 1984 apprentice intake sample of over 500 apprentices and information supplied by 16 in-plant training centers and 9 colleges were used to collect data on the job performance of apprentices in…

As a result of studies on fitting and machining apprentices attitudes toward employers, a study was conducted to obtain the attitudes of a sample of employers toward apprenticeship. Three hundred questionnaires were distributed to employers of fitting and machine students studying at a number of Sydney (Australia) Technical Colleges. An…

This report presents issues associated with incentives for training existing workers in small to medium-sized firms, identified through a small sample of case studies from the retail, manufacturing, and building and construction industries. While the majority of employers recognise workforce skill levels are fundamental to the success of the…

A study compared surveys conducted in 2000 of the graduates of Australian TAFE (Technical and Further Education) and university bachelor programs and outlined some of the similarities and differences between the two sectors. Some of the key findings of the study are the following: (1) 89 percent of TAFE graduates were employed or in further study…

Leading-edge firms (LEFs)--at the forefront of their industry in terms of growth or market share--may influence skill development through diffusion of technology, products, or practices and use of market power to set standards or change customer businesses. Study of LEFs can identify the type and mix of skills needed in the industry. LEFs are…