Reviews materials in the ERIC system on the nature of on-the-job reading and instructional strategies to surmount work-related reading difficulties. (HTH)

Recently, some employers were polled to find out which skills are most important for young people working at their first jobs to have. This guide discusses how parents can help children prepare for the work world. Employers are interested in the academic skills of young people and use job application forms and interviews to evaluate them. They…

A variety of programs have unsuccessfully attempted to address the career development needs of street youth (defined here as 16-24 year olds with no fixed address, low social support, and who support themselves through street activities such as prostitution, theft, and drug-dealing). This digest describes "Skills Plus," a…

This report discusses efforts in adult English as a Second Language (ESL) education to link language instruction to workforce and civic skills (skills needed for successful participation in the community). It looks at the social forces that underlie these efforts (shifts in the U.S. economy, welfare reform, accountability requirements, and learner…

In 1990, Elizabeth Dole, then Secretary of the Department of Labor, established the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) to determine the skills that youths need to participate in the workplace and the skill levels that entry-level jobs require. SCANS determined that workplace skills consist of foundation skills and…

The need for partnerships among deliverers of training in the public and private sectors has reached a critical point if U.S. businesses are to remain competitive. The work force and workplace are being transformed by demographic trends, economic and employment trends, a growing skills mismatch, and concerns over educational effectiveness. Two…

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…

Employers cite the following skills as important for both blue- and white-collar entry-level workers: (1) employee application and interview skills; (2) work-related social skills and habits, especially communication and interpersonal skills; (3) basic academic skills, particularly in reading, mathematics, writing, and problem solving/reasoning;…

Changes in the world economy such as globalization, free trade in services, and unequal demand for some occupations have resulted in increased cross-national movement of workers and emphasized the need for easily transferable or international qualifications. Leading the effort to address the issue of transferable qualifications is the European…

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…

Employers expect their employees to have basic skills in reading, writing, and math; speaking and listening skills; problem-solving ability; employability skills; reasoning skills; leadership skills; computer literacy; interpersonal skills; ability-to-learn/learning-how-to-learn skills; and collaborative/teamwork skills. How well do employers…

The dual challenges of competing in a world market and rapid technological advancements have necessitated redesign of the workplace into an innovative work environment known as the high-performance workplace. This environment requires knowledge workers capable of solving problems, creating ways to improve the methods they use, and engaging…