Purpose: This paper explores the economic and social effects of human capital investment in the 20th century. As well as drawing on census data and statistical yearbooks in Australia and Aoteoroa/New Zealand, the paper develops its argument by an intersection of scholarly work in sociology, economics and the history of education to consider the…

The economic fallout of the layoffs and business closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc for New England workers--especially those who were already facing a structurally vulnerable workforce and employment system before the pandemic. What can state governments do to stimulate job creation and make New England's economy more…

In this study, we argue that vocational education and training in Spain have increased their status and value over the past four decades at a steady and consistent pace. This pace has been perhaps too slow for the wishes of some but has been properly grounded on a wide consensus among all involved stakeholders (companies, union representatives and…

The automotive sector is an important driver of growth in the Turkish economy. This note presents the main findings of the European Training Foundation (ETF) study which focuses on the future of skills that will be needed in the automotive sector in Turkey. It is part of a wider investigation in ETF partner countries on how global trends are…

"The State of Working Pennsylvania 2018," Keystone Research Center's 23rd annual review of the Pennsylvania economy and labor market finds that, nearly a decade into the current national economic expansion, many Pennsylvania workers are still waiting for a raise. The report points to three factors that help explain this. First, despite…

Although the challenges of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) have become apparent in middle-income countries, the making of these systems has not been systematically theorised and compared. This article discusses such processes in Brazil --a recognised emerging economy, and Chile-- one of the last economies to join the high…

This report presents the results of first European Training Foundation (ETF) case study on the future of skills in the automotive sector in Turkey. Conducted between January and December 2020, the study analyses how various drivers of change have affected and will continue to affect jobs and skill needs in this sector. The results reveal the…

COVID-19 has disrupted students, educators and policymakers across the nation. Between March and May of 2020, over 20 million Americans lost their jobs and the unemployment rate shot up to 14.7%, the highest it has been since the Great Depression. More recently, the nation's gross domestic product shrank at an annual rate of 32.9%. As the economy…

Fallout from the Great Recession did a lot of damage to the employment prospects of young adults just entering the workforce after graduating from high school or college--and that damage persisted well into the recovery. In this study, the authors analyze data on recent young college graduates (ages 21-24) to learn about the Class of 2019's…

The Federal Reserve (the Fed) is the central bank of the United States. It has a congressional mandate to promote maximum sustainable employment and price stability. In normal times, the Fed seeks to achieve this mandate by setting the position or "stance" of monetary policy, primarily by managing the level of short-term interest rates.…

The present historical case study was conducted in order to examine the unspoken narratives of six African American Government Girls who worked for the federal government during World War II. The present study documented the lives and experiences of six women employed by the U.S. federal government. Their deliberate decision to become civil…

This ETF Issues Paper on the Future of Work and Skills is the first attempt to collect and analyse existing information and data on the skills demands of the future in ETF partner countries, and to explore responses for better managing the transition (transformation) towards an inclusive future for the benefit of individuals and societies. Thus,…

India's informal economy accounts for more than half the country's GDP but is characterised by low levels of skills, and considerable barriers to skills development for workers. The Government of India has implemented ambitious policy initiatives for upskilling, designed to catalyse 'formalisation' of the economy, and improve productivity.…

The main goal of this work is to reveal social filters in the system of assessing the higher education services market. On the basis of the institutional interpretation of market relations, mechanisms and features of asymmetries formation in the educational services market are investigated. The role of the institutional environment ensuring…

This study focuses on the agri-food sector in Morocco and 'drivers' of change for skills. It alerts education and training institutions to prepare workers for the jobs of the future. The Moroccan society and economy depend heavily on agriculture production, employing around one third of the population and accounting for around 12% of GDP over the…