Changes in the vocational and technical education (VTE) opportunities available for women in Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development (OECD) member countries in response to changing labor markets and job skill requirements were discussed at a June 1994 meeting of experts. The discussions focused on the following issues: gender differences…

Over 3,000,000 youths aged 16-24 fall into the category of unemployed or persons who are discouraged and no longer actively seeking work. This number accounts for more than half of the unemployment in the U.S. and represents a personal tragedy for the youths as well as a considerable loss of productivity for society while adding a drain on its…

Unlike many recent immigrants who entered Canada as highly trained professionals in their countries of origin, most of Canada's immigrant garment workers are working-class women with little education. The Apparel Textile Action Committee (ATAC) and Homeworker's Association (HWA) are among the bodies that were established to assist immigrant…

The following are expectations about employer-provided training: (1) the incentive to provide general training arises largely because of transaction costs in the labor market, despite adding value to a worker's productivity when working for a range of employers; (2)employers sponsor training in specific skills since they are likely to reap the…

In preparation for a conference held in Paris, France, in November 1994, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OEC) launched 5-year program that involved 20 countries studying the changing role of vocational and technical education and training (VOTEC). This background document presents in question-and-answer format a…

Four trends will alter the way the education and training system and other human resource agencies will do business. Themes that reflect them are captured in four words: flexibility, quality, diversity, and scope. The reaction to the current economic downturn remains one of flexibility. Flexibility has emerged as the way in which employers look at…

Black, Latina, and Asian women generally work in jobs that are less well-paying and lower on the occupational hierarchy than are the jobs held by their white counterparts. In addition, these women of color face higher unemployment rates than do white women. Whereas the entry of large numbers of white women into the work force is a fairly recent…

Using questionnaire data collected in 2000 from 524 senior general high school students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, researchers explored the gap between national development goals and student educational interests. They analyzed the relationship between available curriculum and student perceptions of the curriculum's ability to prepare them for the…

As the United States population ages, employers face the possibility of a sustained retirement of the baby boom generation and a loss of their most experienced and knowledgeable employees. The public sector appears to be even more vulnerable, with an older-than-average workforce as well as a more traditional retirement system that encourages early…

Recognition of the need for lifelong learning that is accessible to all Australians underpins the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system. The Australian Qualifications Framework is a nationally consistent framework that allows for credit transfer and articulation between Australia's schools, VET, and universities. The Australian…

Using retrospective data of young people's work experience in Japan, a study found that initial labor market conditions (i.e., when workers first enter the labor market after permanently leaving school) have a significant lasting impact on the employment experiences of workers in their teens and twenties. An increase in the unemployment rate at…

This paper outlines a model identification procedure for vocational educators to use in determining new and emerging occupations. Reviewed first are major available works dealing with identifying and planning for new and emerging occupations. Detailed discussions are provided of the various components of the model. The first phase of the model to…

Drawing on empirical research and theoretical writings, this book examines how concepts such as risk society and individualization may be used in the field of youth studies. It explores young peoples' identities, youth cultures, and a multiplicity of ways in which risk can be understood and influence youth policy agendas in the future. Chapter 1,…

Attempts to explain sex-related wage differentials generally rely on the human capital and segmentation labor market theories. The human capital theory explains individuals' position in the labor market primarily in terms of factors determining their productivity, whereas segmentation theory focuses on differences among jobs as determinants of the…

The question of whether apprenticeships and traineeships can survive in Australia's emerging social and economic environment was explored through a review of two bodies of research. The first consisted of recent reviews of the quality of traineeships in Queensland and Tasmania and apprenticeships in Victoria. The second was a study on the future…