Preparation for productive employment in a global economy is one aspect of National Education Goals 3 and 5. Career education can help people realize the opportunities and meet the challenges of the international workplace. The emergence of flexible, information-based technologies is a primary factor in the evolution of the global economy. New…

The demographic characteristics of teenaged parents reveal a majority who are aged 18-21, live in poverty, have dropped out of school, and are unemployed and unmarried. Their potential for high school graduation is often dependent upon their support network and life course adaptation. Employment patterns of teen parents show high unemployment and…

There is evidence that those who seek employment during difficult times, but are not successful, will continue to experience ongoing hardships throughout their working lives, often developing an ongoing dependency on the social safety net. This digest describes two federal programs on the youth employment front: (1) Youth Service Canada (YSC),…

For a number of years, studies have reported that people with disabilities have lower work force participation rates than the general public. One factor may be a lack of transitional, vocational programs for young people with disabilities. This digest describes "Thresholds," a career development program created with a basis on the unique…

Career counseling in secondary schools is important for all students, but it is especially critical for students with learning disabilities. This digest describes how making developmental career counseling a focus in secondary schools contributes to the success of youth with learning disabilities in post-school employment. These students show…

Many educators believe the role of vocational education is to prepare students for work in a given trade or vocational area with the focus on job skill training. Some contend vocational education should concentrate more broadly on all aspects of students' career development, including lifelong learning, employability, and cognitive skills. One way…

This Digest discusses School-to-Work (STW) programs, which are aimed at developing an integrated secondary school curriculum that facilitates students' transition from school to the workplace. It addresses school-based learning in STW programs, especially the practices that language arts teachers can use in classrooms to meet STW goals. The Digest…

One result of the ambiguity surrounding future jobs is a number of myths not only about what jobs will be available and what they will be like but also about how to prepare for them. The first myth is "40 years and out," the notion that people will work continuously with one organization until retirement. The reality is that individuals need to be…

The fact that environmental occupations cannot be easily categorized reflects the extent to which many occupations and industries are increasing their focus on the environment. Heightened public awareness of the environment and increased regulation through government pollution control and clean-up laws are influencing the trend toward an increased…

In many respects, career education has never been needed more than it is today. The need to keep abreast of technological change and to participate effectively in today's high-performance workplace requires each worker to possess a set of basic competencies and a foundation of skills and personal qualities. The competencies, foundation skills, and…

A number of factors and trends contribute to an increase in older adults in the workforce including demographics, financial concerns, changing concepts of retirement, longer and healthier life spans, and demand for the knowledge and skills possessed by the current generation of older workers. Careers are now considered to be more fluid, nonlinear…

The "New Economy" implies a society in which information/communication technology is changing the nature of the workplace and contributing to more efficient and productive practices geared toward improving the quality of products and services. Recent events such as the collapse of dot.coms and corporate scandals have led some to doubt…

Is the positive potential of globalization being realized? Are transnational careers becoming a reality? What effects are uncertainty and continuous change having on career development? There is evidence that a growing number of companies are exporting both blue- and white-collar jobs overseas, although some contend that it is new technologies…

Recent research conducted by neurologists and educators shows a strong link between emotion and reason. The role of emotion has been addressed in various ways in the fields of adult education and training, career education and development, and career and technical education (CTE). The term "emotional intelligence" (EI) is generally used…

The issue of underemployment (a condition characterized by inadequate hours, inadequate income, and/or inadequate use of skills) is explored in this monograph. The methodology and vocabulary of underemployment are first examined, including a definition synthesis of hours worked, skill utilization, and compensation. The second section provides…