Many people have studied and written about Switzerland's youth apprenticeship system, and there are good reasons to do so. The Swiss economy has been called the most innovative in the world. Switzerland's students significantly outperform U.S. students in scholastic achievement. Its youth unemployment rate is lower than in the United States.…

Streamlining the vocational qualification development process in Australia is a current priority of the skills ministers of both the Australian Government and state and territory governments. This research summary explores the development processes associated with vocational qualifications in selected countries and compares them with the current…

This project is focused on the second element noted by the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) to streamline the national vocational education and training (VET) system so that it can better respond to the needs of industry -- faster development of qualifications. It looks at the vocational qualification development processes in different…

This paper looks at the importance of mechanisms that give formal recognition to vocational skills acquired through work-based learning and how such mechanisms might be developed. It describes how skill recognition can benefit individuals, employers and society as a whole, and identifies in which contexts skill recognition has the highest…

After a period of relative neglect in many countries, apprenticeships and other forms of work-based learning are experiencing a revival. Their effectiveness in easing school-to-work transitions and serving the economy is increasingly recognised. However, engaging individuals, employers, social partners and education and training systems in such…

Apprenticeship is one of several approaches to work-based learning (WBL). Apprenticeships have all the features needed to prepare workers for occupations that require extended study to attain competence. Apprentices begin with relatively simple tasks and progress to those requiring more complex skills. Apprenticeship has had a long history in the…

A study of apprenticeship systems in a large number of foreign countries revealed considerable interest in expanding and improving apprenticeship systems, both as initial training systems and as a way of easing the transition from school to work and relieving youth unemployment. The American apprenticeship system differs from those of other…

To improve America's economic outlook, positive action must be taken to lay the groundwork for a sustained increase in the rate of productivity. It is helpful to compare training methods, particularly apprenticeship, to those of West Germany, which has consistently maintained high production levels. (JOW)

Compared to the United States, German employers make more systematic, long-term investments in worker training, especially through the cooperation of industry associations that pool training costs and benefits. Encouraging U.S. firms to participate in shared training requires sustained government support. (SK)

During their senior year students in the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools develop a postsecondary plan. This plan outlines what students intend to do after graduating from high school; whether they are planning to attend a 4-year college/university, junior/community college, or vocational/technical school; seek employment…

INTERRELATED AREAS OF MANPOWER UTILIZATION AS APPRENTICESHIP, TRAINING, AND RETRAINING ARE DISCUSSED AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF THE MAJOR TRENDS AFFECTING MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT IN BOTH THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. SEVERAL MAJOR FACTORS HAVE AFFECTED MANPOWER UTILIZATION--(1) AN INCREASED POPULATION, (2) AN OLDER POPULATION, (3) MORE WOMEN IN THE…

This report summarizes the postsecondary intentions and scholarship monies earned by high school graduates of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) in SY08-09. As part of the process for planning for postsecondary life, seniors indicate whether they are planning to attend a 4-year college/university, junior/community college, or…

A distinctive feature of the British approach until the 1960s was that vocational education and training (VET) should be provided by employers. This is conventionally contrasted with the much more formal state coordinated approach of Germany. The question posed is whether the British style was the "spontaneous order" that results because…

This guide informs women about the apprenticeship system and how it operates, about apprenticeable occupations, and provides background on the problems that women sometimes encounter in seeking apprenticeships. In the first section, Women and Apprenticeship: An Overview, barriers to women in apprenticeship--such as sex discrimination, inadequate…

This book examines the effectiveness and distributive ramifications of the institutions of German skill provision as they functioned at home in the 1990s and as they served as a template for reform in other industrialized countries. The volume relies on multiple sources of data, including in-firm case studies, larger-scale surveys of companies,…