American jobs are undergoing massive technological transformation, with even entry-level workers now expected to use all manner of digital devices and equipment. Nowhere is this more true than in the manufacturing sector, which directly employs more than one in ten U.S. workers and indirectly supports millions more. To succeed in this rapidly…

This study aimed to examine the impact of workplace literacy programs on the structure of social networks accessible to low-income Somali refugee workers. We conceptualized structure as network size and tie strength. Data were drawn using interviews with eighteen participants enrolled in a workplace literacy program. The classes offered included…

Language, literacy and numeracy are necessary for greater workforce participation, productivity and social inclusion. Being able to measure the level of proficiency in these skills, and any changes in the level of skills, is important for getting a sense of how well language, literacy and numeracy programs are working. Two measurement tools used…

Although a substantial literature has addressed workplace literacy programs, only two studies have attempted to evaluate rigorously the economic benefits to workplace education. A multivariate model has been suggested that provides evidence about the productivity impacts of participation in a workplace literacy program. The data used in this paper…

The eighth annual report presents the results of a comprehensive survey of training and development in organizations in the United States with more than 100 employees. Along with breakdowns of dollars spent on employer-sponsored training and types of training, this year's report features an analysis of remedial education in the workplace. (JOW)

This document contains five papers from a symposium on the purpose and place of human resource development (HRD). "An Introduction to a Debate on the Foundations of the Field: The Purpose and Place of HRD" (Robert W. Rowden) introduces issues related to workplace learning, which both adult education and HRD claim as an area of practice. "The…

A workplace literacy survey was developed and distributed to 4,104 private-sector businesses throughout Illinois to gain a complete and statistically reliable profile of workforce literacy programs. Employers returned 1,340 usable responses. Findings indicated that 53 percent of Illinois firms reported a need to upgrade employees basic skills, yet…

A survey of the literacy proficiency of 1,500 Australian adults indicates that: (1) people who demonstrate some proficiency with using printed material should not be classified as illiterate; (2) appropriate rating scales should be developed for assessing adults' literacy skills; (3) more detailed analysis of the characteristics of those who…

This report focuses on work force education and lifelong learning as a newly emerging strategy for meeting many challenges of education and work in the 21st century. Chapter 1 introduces the concept, reviews the sociopolitical background to the strategy, and presents the rationale for a new type of professional, Workforce Education and Lifelong…

An evaluation of the fifth cycle of operation of the Massachusetts Workplace Education Initiative had several purposes: (1) to identify the indicators of quality in workplace education; (2) to begin to design an evaluation system for each program; and (3) to assess the indicators of quality for workplace education programs against the national…

This document describes the AFL-CIO's Upgrading and Career Ladder Program (UCLP), which creates a system of structured, work-based learning integrating on-the-job training with related theoretical instruction. The UCLP has the following objectives: to meet workers' skill upgrading and occupational mobility needs; to encourage unions and employers…

Manitoba, Canada, workplace stakeholder groups were interviewed to determine the issues they faced and their awareness of, and ability to deal with, workplace basic skills issues. Interviews collected the opinions of 78 employer representatives, 121 employees, and 5 union representatives in the 6 emerging economic sectors of health care products,…

The Colorado workplace program completed an open-ended program evaluation that examined the following: how people involved in workplace learning change, what the shape of that change is, and what impact that change may have. It explored the perspectives of two groups closely involved in the workplace learning process: participants and their…

Up to 10 percent of U.S. workers are either functionally illiterate or marginally literate. These workers increase the operational costs of their employers and restrain companies' flexibility. The high school graduates of the 1990s will exacerbate the problem by entering the work force with marginal literacy skills. A survey of 1,600 manufacturing…

This document contains samples of work specific curricula for the basic level (I) and advanced level (II) of the safety section of the Auburn University (Alabama) Demonstration project in adult education. The samples consist of instructor manuals and student books. Content of each instructor manual--one for level I and another for level…