A longitudinal study explored cultural historical change within the Zinacantecan Mayan culture to create theoretical and empirical links between individual processes of cultural apprenticeship and societal processes of cultural change. The study examined the transmission of culture from parent to child in an apprenticeship relationship as the…

In order to remain competitive, a new economic system requires employees to be better educated, be more creative, work in teams, solve problems, make decisions, and improve and upgrade skills and education. As technology advances and companies push employees to assume more responsibility, the traditional vocational system will be in the spotlight.…

The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) was founded in 1986 with the intent of widening the debate on U.S. economic policies by presenting analyses that provide an alternative point of view from those of various conservative research institutions. The two papers presented in this document were originally prepared for a seminar designed to identify…

In the Federal Republic of Germany, apprenticeship is the preponderant form of vocational training. The basis of the training is a private legal contract between the trainer and the trainee. The practical part of the training takes place in the training firm from 3 to 4 days per week, and the theoretical part takes place in a vocational school 1…

Because stability in career choice for agricultural occupations is desirable, vocational guidance and orientations which make children and adolescents theoretically and practically familiar with agricultural production must be increased and improved. Data from East Germany indicate that the influence of parents and friends is of major importance…

Lorain County Community College (LCCC) has provided training programs for the employees of the United States Steel Corporation since 1969 and for the Lorain Telephone Company since 1977. These training programs are campus-based, and the students attend classes for four or five week periods at a time. An effort has been made to adhere as closely as…

A research study in Australia examined the nature, extent, and methods of workplace learning for school students. Following a literature review that found that the proportion of school students who work part-time is increasing but that there is relatively little research on the learning outcomes of either work experience or work placements,…

Workforce Challenge 2000 was developed by diverse sectors of Vermilion County, Illinois, to plan and implement a program to prepare and maintain a qualified, adaptable workforce for the county and the area served by Danville Area Community College. The program seeks to address the need to replace a large number of retiring workers in the next…

A longitudinal study is being conducted to assess the occupational activities and aspirations of young people trained in West Germany's "dual system" of apprenticeship and part-time jobs. Baseline data were gathered from 21,000 students, and approximately 10,000 of them were contacted one and one-half years later. The sample population…

The number of disadvantaged school leavers facing a shortage of chances to participate in society and work is growing. Austria, Germany, and Switzerland have different regulations regarding length of compulsory schooling. All three regard participation in apprenticeship as a kind of standard, and their governments direct strong efforts to bring in…

Despite the enduring problems of equity and access in the delivery of education in rural Australian schools, vocational education and training (VET) programs appear to have had a significant impact on many such schools and their communities. Vocational educational programs in Australia are based on structured workplace learning. There are three…

We are witnessing an historic shift in our approach to employment policy that will have profound implications for vocational educators. This shift is most recognizable in the waning influence of demand-side economics and the ascendence of supply-side economics. Recent indications are that public policy is no longer firmly committed to maintaining…

Vocational and technical training in Singapore has a relatively short history. Only after Singapore became independent did the need to formalize a national system of training to support the labor force needs of industrialization become evident. Singapore's first vocational institute was established in 1964. The system has experienced several…

This study examined the variability and fragility of post-modern apprenticeship of clinical and biomedical scientists, different experiences of the fortunate and the unsupported, and problems facing professional associations trying to support their members professional learning. Focus was on Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers (MLSOs) working…

Learning in the first professional job was examined in a study of 40 nurses, 27 engineers, and 16 accountants who were in their first full year of full-time employment after college in hospitals and firms located in the United Kingdom. Data were collected through the following activities: (1) interviews with the respondents; (2) 1- to 2-day visits…