Although calls continue to establish certification, several certifications for human resource development (HRD) practitioners already exist, although none use the name HRD. This Forum explores what those certification programs are and what their availability means to the development of the HRD "brand" (the impressions of the service derived from…

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) leads a Mission Growth Working Group, which consists of states that are significantly impacted by the growth of military bases. The group includes state representatives appointed by the governors of Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,…

It is no secret that America is at risk of losing its place as a world leader in education. Some 88 million adults in America need help with their English as a Second Language (ESL) and basic skills, yet the nation is currently providing services to only 3 million people. The Commission on Adult Literacy calls for bold change at the state and…

The authors express reservations about additional federal funding for the National Science Foundation, including new funding for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education programs, provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. For more than 50 years, American political, business, military, and academic leaders…

This monograph is a report on the impact vocational education can have on improving worker productivity. Specifically, the monograph presents a discussion of the relationship between vocational education and productivity and identifies potential areas of impact. The first chapter discusses the concept of productivity and its relationship to…

Reviews findings of Department of Labor studies on workforce supply/demand in the year 2000. Predicts more white-collar and fewer blue-collar jobs. Relates potential labor shortages to functional illiteracy, disadvantaged and unemployed youth, and displaced workers. Urges two-year colleges to provide opportunities for acquiring functional,…

One of a series of productivity primers examining the interrelationship among vocational education, productivity, and economic development, this volume consists of a series of 31 quotations by individuals and organizations pertaining to the major issues and concerns involved in the present and future content of vocational education as a major…

Although projecting what the labor market will be like in 10 years is extremely difficult, it is useful to consider what is in store for the nation in terms of employment. In 1985, the civilian labor force of the United States averaged 115 million persons, with 8 million (7.2 percent) unemployed. Unemployment was much higher for young people and…

Discusses the report of the Panel on Secondary Education for the Changing Workplace that addresses the educational needs of students who end their formal education with a high school diploma. (JOW)

With a national goal announced as "ending welfare as we know it," it is necessary to discuss questions regarding targeting, sanctions and incentives, service delivery, and success criteria for adult literacy programs that attempt to train low-literate adults for jobs. At present, there are about 14-15 million recipients of Aid to Families with…

The recent vehement and highly visible critique of the North American business school curriculum illuminates core tensions in the field of human resource development (HRD) related to the role and responsibility of the profession in for-profit organizations and the educative process by which future practitioners are prepared. If the business school…

In reference to Peter Kuchinke's manuscript, the author points out that current MBA programs suffer from a myriad of ills that are somehow detrimental to organizations and that there is a similar problem with human resource development (HRD) programs (hence the reference in the title to "birds of a feather"). In this article, he shares his…

Peter Kuchinke has written a powerful and relevant article that should generate much discussion in the human resource development (HRD) community. The focus of Kuchinke's paper is the question of whether HRD academic programs should emulate the value preference of business schools or march to a different drum. In this response, the author argues…

To comprehend the roles of education and the workplace in the year 2000, one must project as clearly as possible the total societal environment and then draw from it the unique characteristics of these two social elements. Until recently, that process could be accomplished utilizing relatively straight line extrapolation of current conditions.…

Review of the methods for estimating future employment opportunities shows that there is an ongoing system, involving the Department of Labor and state employment agencies, for making projections for the United States as a whole and for states and major metropolitan areas. This system combines national research on economic growth, technological…