The secular increase over the past several decades in the number of families where both the husband and wife work in the paid labor force, coupled with the surge in labor force participation of single mothers in the 1990s, has heightened policy focus on child care options for working parents; federal and state governments are now major players…

This paper examines the effects of labor supply reduction on published measures of the average annual earnings of black men since 1964. Time series data show that black men, who traditionally earn much less than whites, realized major gains in relative earnings between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s, but since the mid-1970s their position relative to…

This paper discusses the mission of the market-responsive community college. These colleges include mid- and high-level workforce training in their curriculum. Some of the characteristics of a market-responsive community college detailed here include: (1) allocating resources to develop training programs; (2) reaching out to businesses and other…

Compares two models of vocational education policy in England: the traditional Learning and Skills Council approach relying on institutional change and increased skills supply and the Performance and Innovation Unit's focus on skill demand. Outlines weaknesses in the supply-side approach but suggests that demand-side policy must overcome…

Technological and demographic changes affect the nation's employment landscape. The most consistent trend of the century has been the shrinking workweek. By the year 2000, many workers will spend only 32 hours per week at work. Other workplace changes will continue the quest for more work satisfaction: technical trends (flextime/telecommuting);…

Review of the methods for estimating future employment opportunities shows that there is an ongoing system, involving the Department of Labor and state employment agencies, for making projections for the United States as a whole and for states and major metropolitan areas. This system combines national research on economic growth, technological…

Recent immigration legislation has potential impacts on migrant education and Mexican American education. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was passed after nine years of intense debate. The heart of so-called immigration reform is employer sanctions, which seek to restrict migration to the United States by prohibiting employers from…

Summarizes findings and ongoing research based on survey interviews of three National Longitudinal Survey youth cohorts. (LRA)

Most early research on the impact of undocumented workers on the labor market held that it results in the widespread displacement of native workers. More recent and more sophisticated theory argues that immigrants, both legal and illegal, create jobs by consuming goods and services, and by starting new businesses. This latter idea may not be as…

Over the past 20 years, California has experienced a continuous, growing flow of Mexican immigrant laborers. Although Mexican labor was originally linked to agriculture, by 1980 Mexican-born labor was filling a substantial proportion of jobs in all sectors of the California economy, particularly in manufacturing. Because they are concentrated in…

This report surveys the research done using the National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS) of Labor Market Experience data. It also identifies neglected research opportunities and directions of future research. The content is presented in eleven sections. The focus of sections 2-8 is on research done in major areas of labor market research. The sections…

Changing demographic trends and the economy's need for well-educated young people to take entry level positions in the work force make businesses more eager to cooperate with schools to ensure the availability of adequate programs for developing prepared workers. (PGD)

Canadian federal reports of current and future demographic and employment trends, altered demand patterns, changing technology, new challenges of employment and unemployment, and a narrowing global community indicate that a comprehensive, cooperative human resource strategy is essential to economic health and international competitiveness.…

An analysis and summary of 19 recent Canadian and U.S. reports on training needs show that all of them warn that Canada (like North America generally) is facing a serious skills crisis at a time of growing demand for capable workers. In addition, the studies point out that the private sector must contribute much more than it has so far to human…

By embracing education as an economic development tool, policy makers adopt a new economic metaphor--a new way of understanding how the economy works and identifying determinants of development. Development policy has shifted focus, from providing incentives for the accumulation of physical capital to emphasizing investments in human capital. Most…