This study examines manufacturing employer perceptions of postsecondary credentials, the ways in which they find them valuable, and explores the barriers employers identify which prevent employees from enrolling in employer sponsored continuing education programs. In total, 14 staff members were interviewed representing five manufacturing…

Sociology students are interested in having meaningful careers that use their sociological knowledge and skills, and higher education institutions are under pressure to show that their graduates achieve career success. A one-credit-hour course focused on careers, professional development, and resources for sociology majors can increase students'…

For youth with disabilities, transitioning from school to work and adult life often means overcoming multiple social, academic, and environmental constraints that may present as roadblocks to meeting society's expectations of 'successful transition' (Lehman, Clark, Bullis, Rinkin, & Castellanos, 2002). According to the United States Department…

While promoting postsecondary credential completion is a national priority intended to help graduates secure good jobs, the value of credentials in the labor market from the perspective of employers is not well understood. Specifically, more attention is needed to understand how credentials align with employer needs. Through in-depth interviews…

Policymakers, educators, and the public agree that postsecondary credentials are crucial for economic success, and high school graduates and displaced workers are increasingly seeking credentials at community colleges. Yet little attention has been paid to understanding how credentials align with employer needs and how community college programs…

How do students and alumni of for-profit colleges feel about their schools and the value of their education? Do they have distinct expectations, priorities, and needs compared with students who choose to study at not-for-profit institutions? Are prospective students effectively weighing their options before deciding to enroll at for-profit…

Educational credentials are clearly linked to economic success, but the reasons for this link are not clear. Common theoretical approaches provide explanations but lack direct employer perspectives on credentials' meaning and the context in which employers make sense of credentials. In this study, I used an alternative perspective based in Meyer's…

This annual newsletter contains updates on the latest CCRC research, new publications and details of upcoming presentations at major conferences. The feature article in this issue, "Addressing the Needs of Underprepared Students," by Thomas Bailey, summarizes the discussion found in the paper "Challenge and Opportunity: Rethinking…

Presents survey responses of 100 Michigan firms regarding the use of advanced technologies, employment growth projections in skilled occupations, and views about community college education. Examines the impact of the introduction of office automation, telecommunications, computer-aided design, laser, quality control, materials management, and…

INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH THE MANAGERS OF 58 GREENHOUSES WHICH COVERED ONE ACRE OR MORE IN THE CHICAGO, CLEVELAND, AND DETROIT AREAS (1) TO DETERMINE THE NATURE OF TRAINING DESIRED FOR THE COMMERCIAL GREENHOUSE GROWER IN TERMS OF THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES OF ORNAMENTAL FLOWERING PLANTS PRODUCED, AND THE DEGREE OF ATTAINMENT OF…

A nonexperimental ex post facto comparative study in the Jackson Area Career Center (Michigan) determined the correlation between basic skills grade levels indicated by standardized tests and success or failure in auto mechanics classes. In addition, the study determined whether the grade level of achievement in basic skills is correlated with…

TWO STUDIES, CONDUCTED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN WAYNE, OAKLAND, AND MACOMB COUNTIES, MICHIGAN, TO DETERMINE THE CURRENT AND PROJECTED STATUS OF EMPLOYMENT IN DATA PROCESSING INSTALLATIONS AND THE NEED FOR IN-SCHOOL TRAINING PROGRAMS, WERE IDENTICAL EXCEPT THAT ONE USED PAID, PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEWERS, AND THE OTHER USED AMATEUR INTERVIEWERS TO COLLECT…

DEVELOPED WITHIN A LARGER AND MORE INCLUSIVE FRAMEWORK, A METHOD OF IDENTIFYING COMPETENCIES AND INFORMATION ESSENTIAL TO OFF-FARM AGRICULTURE WORKERS WHO HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH FARMERS WAS DEMONSTRATED. UPON THE BASIS OF A REVIEW OF LITERATURE, A LIST OF 129 COMPETENCIES BELIEVED NECESSARY FOR THOSE EMPLOYED TO SELL, INSTALL, OR MAINTAIN BULK…

INTERVIEWS OF 239 BUSINESSES OF THE BAY CITY STANDARD METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA OF MICHIGAN PROVIDED INFORMATION ON (1) THE TYPE AND NUMBER OF MACHINES USED IN BUSINESS, (2) THE TRAINING DEMANDED BY EMPLOYERS FOR PERSONNEL USING THIS OFFICE EQUIPMENT, (3) THE EXTENT OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING GIVEN BY EMPLOYERS, (4) THE IMPLICATIONS FOR VOCATIONAL…

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the child care system in the metropolitan Detroit area is responsive to the needs of families. The study is introduced by a literature review examining current tends and providing a historical overview of child care in the United States. Questionnaires sent to parents of children at…