Various economic, technology-related, and other factors have converged to serve as a catalyst for the emergence of workers who consider themselves free agents. Estimates of the number of free agent workers range from 12.9 to 25 million. Individual free agent workers may take widely varying approaches to their careers; however, all have taken…

The possible impact of technological and structural change on employment in the European Union (EU) over the next 20 years was examined through an exploration of the following alternative policy-driven scenarios: (1) business as usual; (2) concentrated technology policy (increases in innovation and research and development [R&D] efforts are…

From preservation of historical monuments to repair of existing buildings, architectural heritage seems to be a market with a future for France's building industry. The public's enthusiasm, along with greater appreciation of the "value" of cultural goods and their integration into a framework of economic development offer a favorable…

The three two-page briefs in this packet focus on the skills needed for America's workforce and student career aspirations. "What Do We Know about America's Workforce?" provides a statistical overview of the workforce and workers today, reporting the following: (1) the number of men and women in the labor force is about equal; (2) by the time…

This publication is designed to assist career program planners in collecting the data needed to plan career technology, adult learning, higher education, apprenticeship, and training programs for persons living in Maryland. Profiled in the publication are local, state, and federal agencies and programs capable of providing career program planners…

This document, which is designed for educators at community and technical colleges throughout Texas, presents and examines employer-defined workplace competencies for high-technology occupations and outlines instructional strategies and capstone experiences for use in improving technical education and preparing students for high-technology…

Employers are experiencing difficulties filling vacancies for information technology (IT) positions because of rapid growth in the demand for IT workers, high turnover, and the unique characteristics of IT work. In response to the growing demand for IT workers, public and private education and training providers are expanding their offerings and…

The question of whether apprenticeships and traineeships can survive in Australia's emerging social and economic environment was explored through a review of two bodies of research. The first consisted of recent reviews of the quality of traineeships in Queensland and Tasmania and apprenticeships in Victoria. The second was a study on the future…

Civilian employment data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau in 1960-1990 were analyzed with respect to the following factors: (1) the six kinds of work considered in the Holland occupational classification system (realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional); (2) occupation; (3) employment; (4) gender; (5)…

From a macroeconomic perspective, the evolving demand for skills in the United States has been triggered by the accelerated expansion of computer and information technology, which has, in turn, brought significant changes to the workplace. Technological advances have made some wholly manual jobs obsolete. But even for many other workers, a rapidly…

This report presents evidence regarding skill shortages in the electrotechnology trades in Australia that was gathered by an industry-led working group. The report provides data concerning the following aspects of the problem: (1) the demand for skills in the electrotechnology trades (employment levels, growth, and prospects); (2) the supply of…

Case studies of 16 firms across Australia that employ adult apprentices in the "traditional" trades were conducted to identify innovative ways of getting adults into the trades. The case studies included interviews with the firms' apprentice managers, training providers, and adult apprentices. Although some adult-friendly innovations…

The approaches being taken and innovations being adopted at the national and European levels to anticipate occupation and qualification trends in the European Union (EU) were examined in a survey of the 15 EU member states. The survey findings were presented by country and in a synthesis. In addition, the findings for Belgium were broken down by…

The skills and education/training implications of the development of electronic commerce in the United Kingdom's retail industry and its associated supply chain were examined. The major data collection activities were as follows: a literature review; consultation with leading academics and advisers; an e-mail-based call for information from…

The growing importance of education in overall economic growth and individual opportunity has necessitated that education reformers address the need for the additional and better human capital needed to foster overall growth in the new knowledge-based economy. Education reformers must also work to reduce the growing differences in family incomes…