According to data recently released by the National Center for Education Statistics, most adults in the workforce (58 percent) either have a postsecondary degree or some other form of workforce credential, including postsecondary certificates, occupational licenses or occupational certifications. This is higher than the 45 percent of adult workers…

Observing the transition from industrial work to more and more digitalised work in the last decades, in this paper we discuss changes in employment and the relevance of numeracy in adult basic education and in working environments. In a knowledge society, the demand for highly qualified professionals is growing. It is questionable what effects…

Apprenticeships for adults are one of the policy solutions to the need for supporting adults willing to train, while broadening the skills base of the working population across Europe. According to Cedefop estimates, there are around 128 million adults with potential for upskilling or reskilling in the European Union (EU). EU Member States have…

This paper and the four commissioned works on which it is based are guided by the important question: How can we start valuing practices and outcomes of teaching and learning that are difficult to reduce to numbers? As the process of developing indicators for the Post-2015 education targets unfolds, some of the targets are at risk of being dropped…

This paper describes the characteristics of people who return to learning to achieve at least a level 2 qualification, drawing on the 1958 National Child Development Cohort Study. Results show that adults who gained level 2 were more likely than those who did not to have been engaged in a range of learning activities at earlier ages, including…

For Mexico, a country characterised by a high degree of inequality both with regard to income and education, concepts such as the "knowledge-based economy" and Lifelong Learning are even more elusive than in other countries. Given its poor school system and the large part of the adult population who are without any basic educational…

The heart of Mike Tomlinson's vision of the future is the diploma. This is seen as the answer to the problems posed by "the proliferation of qualifications of different types and size, few of which offer a balance between generic and specialised knowledge and skills". The diplomas look to provide coherence and balance, and to bring a transparent…

This article describes three archetypal workers: eagles who innovate by improvements, otters who innovate by extension, and unicorns who innovate by paradigm. Each of these innovators is discussed in terms of domain-relevant skills, manipulative skills, and motivation. Needs of each type in terms of business culture are discussed. (PB)

This document presents national voluntary skill standards for direct service practitioners working with individuals with and without disabilities, called Community Support Human Service Practitioners (CSHSP). A rationale for such standards is presented. The skill standards are then presented, organized around 12 broad, functional themes of human…

Research messages 2006 is a collection of key messages from research projects published or completed by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) in 2006. It covers work undertaken by both NCVER and external researchers through the following programs: (1) National Vocational Education and Training Research Evaluation Program;…

The Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council developed a Volunteer Evaluation System. Its objective was to create a way to gain knowledge of volunteers' skills and place them in appropriate volunteer positions. A five-step system was created to collect information about volunteers at set intervals and pass it along to appropriate staff members. The…

Job relevance and adverse impact are major validity concerns relative to credentializing examinations. This article recommends that examination blueprints utilize a competency model based on: (1) job functions assigned; (2) level of expertise expected given the content and resources available; and (3) specific context and situation in which the…

In order to provide more useful and timely occupational information for program development and evaluation, curriculum design, and labor market response to employer needs, the federal Office of Management and Budget has created a standard system of occupational definitions called the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). Criteria for the SOC…

Describes a group treatment program for grown-up abused children. Analyzes the ways in which the effects of abuse influence group process, and how the experience of a group process assists abuse victims. Discusses skills needed by group leaders. (Author/RC)

The document describes the role of the job coach as the key facilitator of community employment for mentally retarded persons. Three case studies evaluate three programs associated with the Illinois Supported Employment Program to identify the real and perceived duties of the job coach. An introductory article by Frank Rusch and others is titled:…