Examining recent claims that American schools inadequately prepare students in science and mathematics, the author argues that such claims are exaggerated and misleading and may lead to undesirable tradeoffs in the areas of curriculum, school finance, and social opportunity. (JBM)

This report investigates the future supply of and demand for certain types of skilled labour at the trades and sub-trades levels that will be required for these projects up to 2010. In particular, it focuses on skilled labour in the mechanical, fabrication and electrical trades and mobile plant operators and construction workers in the sub-trades.…

A survey of 501 Wisconsin firms (260 responses) assessed the impact of changes in demand, productivity, and technology on the employment needs and training requirements of Wisconsin employers in 10 selected economic sectors. Major findings included the following: (1) Wisconsin's services sector has recently experienced major employment growth and…

Prepared for the California Community Colleges' 1991 Board of Governors retreat, this paper discusses several statewide trends that have implications for California's community colleges. The paper is designed to serve as background material for the development of the Board of Governors' 1991-92 basic agenda. Material covered in the report updates…

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projections of occupational employment growth have systematically underpredicted the growth of occupations that require the most education and training. The latest data on occupational growth rates show that the BLS's recent projections of occupational employment growth to the year 2000 probably suffer from…

These 19 papers from the second annual Policy Forum on Employability Development explore the responsiveness of various educational and training institutions to changing labor market demands. The first three papers provide an overview of the forum. They summarize the proceedings and policy considerations and address how vocational education and…

The seven papers in this volume address three topics: the economic effects of vocational education, occupational projections, and coordination among institutions providing training. The first paper analyzes high school vocational education from an economic viewpoint, while the second examines the effects of vocational training coupled with the…

In the post-World War II period, women have been employed in jobs that have been degraded, deskilled, and cheapened. Their employment has increasingly been in the service sector. Data supports the argument that women are treated as secondary workers in the labor market and are not paid as equals to men. Along with the degradation of women's jobs…

The value of linking manpower analyses and educational policy formation is illustrated by the experience of the New Jersey Department of Higher Education in planning programs for professional nurses. After reviewing the history of manpower planning for nurses in New Jersey, the results of a 1980 nursing study and projections of the future need for…

Job outlook information forecasts the growth and decline of jobs in the near future--usually for a 10-year period. The purpose of this information is to help individuals understand where future employment opportunities may occur, but the individual must also consider his/her skills and interests and the level of education needed to accomplish…

Johnson County Community College (JCCC), in Kansas, offers formal career programs for 12 of the 20 fastest growing occupations requiring postsecondary training, and for 13 of the 30 occupations projected to be the fastest growing between 1990 and 2005. Following an introduction to general trends and data sources, this guide presents profiles of…

A review was conducted of the clusters used to organize the delivery of secondary vocational education in Oregon. The review focused on issues related to Oregon's current and projected labor market needs, national occupational and industrial trends, and the common skills and competencies that form the basis for organizing occupations and training…

This document contains proceedings of a Congressional hearing that examined the status of vocational and technical education in the District of Columbia. The hearing also covered what new plans and programs are being proposed and implemented in the District of Columbia school system in order to keep pace with changes in an increasingly…

This booklet is intended to provide guidance to women who are making decisions about their lives and work and to help them take advantage of the opportunities that are now open to them. Part I gives an overview of the status of women in the work force and some of the factors that affect women's employment. Alternative work patterns are a special…

A study examined how the occupational structure of the Australian labor market evolved and how individuals fared in the process. It identified issues in defining skill and knowledge and followed Elias and McKnight (2001) in stating that sufficient evidence showed a very high correlation between job-required cognitive ability and ordinal skill…