Employee ownership through employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) was first mentioned in federal legislation in the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973. Since then, at least 19 pieces of federal legislation have been enacted that deal with employee ownership in some way, including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and tax…

Profound changes in the economy and the labor market have an effect on the role of employer-sponsored training in preparing and educating the country's work force. On the demand side of the labor market, these changes include the increase in international trade, the changing economic status of the United States relative to its trading partners,…

Educational reform efforts have thus far excluded vocational education. Recently, there has been a great deal of interest in reevaluating vocational education's role in facilitating academic excellence and economic competitiveness. Inadequate basic skills remain a significant and growing problem. There is a direct relationship between basic skills…

Research was conducted in Europe to determine the current situation in the health industry with regard to transparency, recognition, and transfer of qualifications. The study identified current and needed patterns of mobility, European policy assisting mobility, and attitudes and practices of institutions and businesses. Data were gathered through…

A study examined the publicly-funded vocational education and training (VET) system in South Australia (SA) in 1997. Background information indicated SA is a geographically large state with a relatively small population that is older compared to the rest of Australia, with 14 percent aged over 65 compared with 12 percent nationally. Findings were…

A survey of employers showed that high school grade point average had the strongest positive influence in the hiring of young people for entry-level jobs. Eight hundred and fifty employers in three fields (clerical, retailing, and machine trades) were asked to rate application forms of fictitious job seekers for specific positions. Other factors…

In a four-section final report with its focus on methodology rather than on findings of particular follow-up studies, this project addresses two needs--to identify, review, and analyze vocational student and employer follow-up efforts at local, state, and federal levels, and to prepare training materials useful to individuals or groups at all…

A study interviewed participants in and providers of pre- apprenticeship (PA) programs in Australia and identified their potential role as a component of overall vocational education and training (VET) provision. Data were derived from a special series developed from national VET statistical data for 1994-2000 and were refined by discarding…

In the last 15 years, colleges and universities have sought creative ways to encourage the study of second languages and to add an international dimension to the college curriculum. More extensive international exchange, higher language enrollments, and more widespread inclusion of language study as a college entrance requirement have resulted. A…

The learning gap between high school students in the United States and those in many other countries has several causes. First, U.S. students devote a lot less time and interest to learning. A second major reason is parental and school board apathy. Cultural comparisons reveal a lack of incentives for learning accomplishment in the United States,…

The problem of harassment of women in the workplace has received increasing attention from government agencies, Congress, and the courts in recent years. This growing general awareness of the problem of harassment and sex discrimination by both employers and employees is being made more acute by women's growing demands for career opportunities…

The movement to train and counsel displaced homemakers began in 1975. State legislation for funding was followed by vocational educational and Comprehensive Employment Training Act funding. The Department of Labor has estimated that there are at least 4.13 million displaced homemakers. A total of 354 displaced homemaker programs have been located.…

This document offers the best available answers to questions frequently asked about vocational education by policymakers in vocational education at the state and local level. It is divided into two sections. The first section contains 15 frequently asked questions about vocational education effects and practices, each of which is followed by a…

Twelve papers presented during the Fourth Annual Earl Warren Memorial Symposium, which focused on the forces that shaped the pending Immigration Control and Reform Act of 1982 (known as the Simpson-Mazzoli Bill) are given. Included are "The Political Economy of Immigration" (Zolberg), "Of Borders and States: A Skeptical Note on the…

This literature survey analyzes the process of industrial restructuring as it is occurring in the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, and the United States. It looks in particular at how various agents of education and training in these countries--the school system, public and private education and training institutions and firms--are responding…