A needs assessment project designed to identify the performance improvement training needs of Louisiana state government employees (n=2,000) focused on strategic goals and employee perceptions. The difficulties of large-scale needs assessment were highlighted and implications for research were identified. (Contains 31 references.) (JOW)

A profile of 150 out-of-school rural Botswana youth revealed most were ages 16-18, 55% female, 52% with only primary education, and 60% unemployed. The majority chose farm occupations. Problems of rural areas included lack of educational and recreational facilities, employment security, health education, and access to land. Youth clubs, vocational…

This article describes the outcomes of a needs assessment concerning current training needs and performance targets for non-degreed employees in the food industry. Focus groups were used to gather data from 5 food-processing companies: a fresh vegetable company, a canned vegetable company, 2 snack food companies, and a meat company. Focus group…

In 1991, the Washington State Board for Community College Education conducted a study to determine the strengths and shortcomings of Washington community colleges' efforts to provide upgrading and retraining for employed workers. Data were derived from four separate studies conducted in 1990, including a survey of 1,151 employed students at eight…

The role of vocational education and training (VET) in the context of the dynamic and changing demands of the world of work is explored through a more comprehensive approach to the overall system of human resources development (HRD). HRD is the concern of both educationists and economists. To an educationist, HRD should first be human and then…

A study was made to determine the extent to which Army reservists (the National Guard and the Army Reserve) are training in critical tasks and battlefield survival and to identify the factors affecting this training. Information was gathered by interviewing officials at headquarters offices, analyzing overall Army training information, and…

The history of adult education in the United States and the participation of Asian/Pacific Americans in adult and vocational education are reviewed in this paper. The development of such programs during the past two centuries is briefly described. Numbers of participating adult learners and some demographic characteristics of these learners are…

The project described in this executive summary was designed to identify: the unmet vocational rehabilitation training needs of state agency staffs; courseware being used; other training materials being used or needed in the future; and the potential of telecommunications technologies to deliver the needed training. The project's oranizational and…

A literature review was conducted to examine reading skills development in selected educational systems delivering postsecondary occupational education. The systems chosen were two-year, junior, and community colleges; area vocational-technical schools and adult programs; training centers; correctional institutions; the military; and business and…

The paper deals with job analysis for the preparation of job training programs. The analytical approach involves five steps: enlisting support, examining the job, describing the job, analyzing training requirements, and planning the programs. Appendixes include methods of producing training schemes--the simple job breakdown, straightforward…

A case study of a model program for recalcitrant young dropouts provides guidelines for serving successfully this high-need population. (Author)

Manufacturing employs a declining share of the U.S. labor force but is still the most important sector of Southern rural economies. Manufacturing has played a major role in reducing poverty in the rural South and is particularly important to economies where tourism, recreation, or commuting is not strong. Historically, manufacturers moved to the…

Describes experimental training programs for developing arbitrators and the creation of simplified arbitration and grievance handling procedures to help meet increasing needs. (MF)

Provides an annotated bibliography of three documents related to workforce issues. Includes documents discussing the earning growth and employment stability of workforce entrants, the relationship of human development to the economy, and needs for continuing education and workforce training. (AJL)

Identifies employee skills needed by U.S. business/industry: generic skills (e.g., reading, writing, computation, problem solving), relational skills (e.g., ability to work better and in more sophisticated ways with diverse groups); responsibility skills (e.g., taking initiative in learning); and integration skills (e.g., ability to make meaning…