Purpose: This paper aims to describe how the human resources development (HRD) policy has shifted from the national level to the sectoral levels; the paper also explains the changes that have been made in skills formation in the economy by presenting the emergence of Industry Skills Councils (ISC). Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents…

Intermediaries--also referred to as bridge builders, boundary spanners, conveners, and other names--fill the critical role of connecting all the parties in the system to empower people with the skills required in the labor force. Those parties generally include employers, educators, workers, and prospective workers. Within these categories may…

A survey conducted in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom analyzed employment practices and viewpoints of the social partners regarding comparability of qualifications and geographical mobility. Carried out in late 1991 with a limited sampling of respondents (firms, employers' organizations, and unions), the survey focused…

A study examined employee training policies and their implementation in four or five large companies in five countries (Belgium, Spain, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom). Data were gathered through interviews by an expert in each of the countries using an interviewer's guide developed for the project (resulting in approximately 30…

Manitoba, Canada, workplace stakeholder groups were interviewed to determine the issues they faced and their awareness of, and ability to deal with, workplace basic skills issues. Interviews collected the opinions of 78 employer representatives, 121 employees, and 5 union representatives in the 6 emerging economic sectors of health care products,…

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, WHICH SHOULD PROVIDE A CONTINUOUS SUPPLY OF CRAFTSMEN, ARE NOT NOW ALLEVIATING A SHORTAGE OF SKILLED LABOR. CRAFT UNIONS PERPETUATE SKILLS SHORTAGES BY SPECIFYING JOURNEYMEN-APPRENTICE RATIOS AND MAINTAINING A RESTRICTIVE SELECTION POLICY. THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM LIES NOT IN FEDERAL LEGISLATION NOR IN MORE FORMAL…

This serial issue is devoted to clarifying the attitudes of the various parties or "social partners" to vocational training in the Member States of the European Community. Following an editorial introducing the topic are these articles: "The Community Social Dialogue" (Roland Tavitian); "From the Market Jungle to the…

A study analyzed the schooling, further adult course participation, and informal learning of organized and unorganized workers in different occupational classes across Canada. Data were obtained from the first Canadian national survey of 1,562 adults' informal learning practices, conducted in 1998, and field notes and interview transcripts drawn…

Maryland's Labor Education Achievement Program (LEAP) worked with a wide diversity of union workers in multiple industries and within numerous private companies and public agencies over a dispersed geographic area. Staff development included a workshop for local coordinators and a teacher inservice training session. LEAP provided…

This document describes the training of in-company trainers of young people in the United Kingdom (UK). Part 1 describes the context, including the focus and method of the UK study, the current situation for in-company training for young people, and the national context for training the trainers. Part 2 focuses on the following: characteristics,…

This document is the first issue of a National Alliance of Business publication designed to present proven solutions, cutting-edge strategies, and comprehensive reference materials and to examine in depth in each issue a critical issue related to public/private employment and training partnerships. This first issue addresses one of the most…

The Labor Education Achievement Program (LEAP) provided workplace literacy services to 664 union workers in 39 classes at worksites, union halls, and other locations. Students' average age was nearly 40. All had attended some public school; 91 percent had some high school education. Students reported various reasons for enrollment; 90.6 percent…

This paper explores the traditional European model of vocational training in light of a new focus on employability and lifelong learning that is becoming more common in Europe. It includes the following four sections: (1) an overview of some examples of vocational training systems in Europe and the proposal that they share enough to be considered…

This unit, one in a series of packets of teacher and student materials for cooperative occupational education (COE) designed for special needs students, presents students with a brief introduction to federal laws that protect workers' rights. Emphasis is placed on the Fair Labor Standards Act, the National Labor Relations Act, and the Civil Rights…