Children's poverty rate in the United States, over 20%, exceeds that of all industrialized nations except Australia. This interdisciplinary book examines the impact of changing public policies on children. Section 1 gives a current and historical overview of children in poverty. Sections 2 through 5 address arenas of possible change from policy…

The problem of social exclusion in Poland was examined along with possible strategies for combating social exclusion through vocational education and training (VET). The examination began with an analysis of the special needs of individuals who have reduced opportunities within the labor market and/or are members of national and ethnic minorities.…

The literature on work placements in education and training courses and current Australian practice related to work placements was reviewed. The review focused on the school, university, and vocational education and training (VET) sectors. The following major issues were considered: lack of a common name and common body of literature; purposes of…

Efforts to improve career outcomes for youth in the United States and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries were reviewed. The review focused on the following topics: trends in the employment and schooling levels of youth in OECD countries; the emerging consensus on preparing all youth for careers; and approaches…

Cyclical and structural issues in engineering skills formation in Great Britain were studied through a review of recent employment patterns, income patterns, employment projections, recent trends in education and training, and recent developments in technology and work organization. The review focused on the following issues: (1) the extent and…

A task force was convened to identify the nature, extent, and pattern of skill needs and shortages for managerial occupations in the United Kingdom (UK). The task force began by examining the key challenges facing managers in the UK. The following factors were among those considered: economic policies promoting liberalization and deregulation;…

The Human Resources in Government project examined the impact of extensive downsizing and restructuring in Canada's public service sector and sought innovative ways of making Canada's governments "employers of choice." The project focused on Canada's federal government and the governments of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Nova Scotia.…

Largely qualitative data were examined in the second year of a 5-year longitudinal study of the effectiveness of career and technical education (CTE)-based reforms in helping disadvantaged youth in grades 7, 9, and 11 succeed in school. Students were enrolled at three school sites with these differing program foci: (1) career pathways; (2)…

The question of how to best prepare nurses for practice continues to be debated extensively. The crux of the debate is whether a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) should be required of all registered nurses in the United States or whether an associate degree in nursing (ADN) and diploma programs adequately prepare novice nurses for practice.…

Strategies for overcoming exclusion through adult learning were identified through case studies of 19 initiatives in the following countries: Belgium; Mexico; the Netherlands; Norway; Portugal; and the United Kingdom. The study programs involved a diverse array of formal, nonformal, and informal public sector, community, and enterprise-based…

This book provides an overview of vocational-technical education and training (VTET) in the 10 member countries of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SAMEO). The book begins with an introduction explaining the objectives and methodology of the cooperative research project on which the study was based. Each of the 10…

As in the past, young people in Greece generally consider vocational education and training (VET) a last resort despite the state's continued efforts to promote VET as an option of equal standing and despite the research data showing that VET graduates face fewer difficulties in finding work than general education graduates do. In the past 10…