This document was produced by the authors, based on their research for the report "The Role of VET in Alcohol and Other Drugs Workforce Development", and is an added resource for further information. "The Role of VET in Alcohol and Other Drugs Workforce Development" uncovers concerns managers have around the training content,…

The Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia has identified attracting and recruiting staff as a problem area for the sector. An obvious strategy is to recruit people from a broad range of backgrounds, and then provide specific industry training. The vocational education and training (VET) sector is well placed to provide this training. The…

In traditional signaling models, education provides a way for individuals to sort themselves by ability. Employers in turn use education to statistically discriminate, paying wages that reflect the average productivity of workers with the same given level of education. In this paper, we provide evidence that education (specifically, attending…

Examination of 1,465 ads for 11 accounting-related positions from 1973, 1983, and 1993 showed the following: 71-83% wanted accounting degrees or significant experience in 1993; demand for certification and communication skills increased over 20 years; and over half required computer skills in 1993 compared to 6% in 1983 and 1% in 1973. (SK)

Ratings by two panels of southeastern U.S. business executives revealed the following: (1) communication ability was most important for business graduates; (2) practical knowledge was valued more than theory; (3) personal qualities were more valued than computer/math skills; and (4) total quality management was important, but globalization and…

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) have been introduced and developed within a competency framework by successive UK governments. Potential benefits are listed as improved skills, less skills shortages and more appropriate job-employee fit. However, there has been considerable and sustained criticism of NVQs from employers, employees and…

A trend in master of business administration (MBA) programs has been to offer more specializations beyond the traditional broad MBA. In this article, the authors explore the recruitment practices of business and the curricula of MBA programs comparing general MBA degrees with MBA degrees with specialization. The authors empirically examine whether…

Article focused on the role that industry and education must play in ensuring that school-leavers are given the right guidance at the right time, and that educational standards are relevant to the requirements of the employer. (Author/RK)

Responses from 181 accountants and 74 human resources professionals (14.2% response rate) identified areas in which they feel entry-level accountants are deficient: verification of computations by hand and the level of job and internship experience, especially with computers. (SK)

Provides a transcript of college graduates interviewing an on-campus interviewer. (HOD)

Conclusions from case studies of technical work in four workplaces were as follows: (1) need for such skills as teamwork and problem solving varied by context; (2) despite their professed need for these skills, employers provided little training; and (3) employers were weakly connected with schools and had generally poor opinions of them. (SK)

In order to develop a word processing career file at Milwaukee Area Technical College, employment managers at 124 Milwaukee-area businesses were asked to provide job descriptions for all word processing positions in the company; skill and knowledge requirements necessary to obtain these positions; employee appraisal forms; wage scales; a list of…

Explores the relevance of some research findings on employers' perceptions and use of educational qualifications in relation to employment potential and the implication for the school curriculum. (CT)

Managers from 47 Kansas City companies identified skills and knowledge important for their international employees. Oral and written communication ranked highest, followed by exporting, customs, marketing, business etiquette, and protocol. Employees with high school education had markedly different overseas assignments than did college graduates.…

Responses from 214 of 950 British employers of management accountants were analyzed with a weighted importance indicator. Communication and time management skills were most important. Employers thought that entry workers had good information technology skills but oral and written communication was "just acceptable." Also needing…