The American dream promised that if you worked hard, you could move up, with well-paying working-class jobs providing a gateway to an ever-growing middle class. Today, however, we have increasing inequality, not economic convergence. Technological advances are putting quality jobs out of reach for workers who lack the proper skills and training.…

"Vocationalism in Further and Higher Education" presents a collection of research-based papers on the 'English model' of vocationalism and higher education. It argues that negative societal and political perceptions have hindered the debate about the significance and relevance of vocational education and training provision to learning,…

This monograph examines the apprenticeship system, especially in electrical and motor vehicle repair work, from two different approaches. A general introduction discusses the choice of industries and apprentices used as a basis for both studies. The exploratory study in Part 1 concentrated on attitudes and perspectives of the participants in the…

This book provides a systematic account of the causes, consequences, and policy implications of failure in training provision and skills acquisition in the industrial world. "Introduction" (Alison L. Booth, Dennis J. Snower) summarizes the contents. "Transferable Training and Poaching Externalities" (Margaret Stevens) shows how…

This book examines the effectiveness and distributive ramifications of the institutions of German skill provision as they functioned at home in the 1990s and as they served as a template for reform in other industrialized countries. The volume relies on multiple sources of data, including in-firm case studies, larger-scale surveys of companies,…

This book, which contains the proceedings of the first in a series of annual Policy Forums on Employability Development conducted by the National Center for Research in Vocational Education, is an examination of the contributions of the key training institutions in the United States to the preparation of young workers for work. Focusing on…

This book analyzes vocational education and training (VET) systems in seven advanced industrial countries (AICs) to determine institutional arrangements for skills creation most promising in attaining the learning society. The AICs are France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States, and Sweden. Chapter 1 discusses special problems of…

This book presents young people's views, understanding, and opinions on a range of issues related to learning, employment, and the world of work in England. They are compared with the statements and policies of those responsible for education, training, and employment. Chapter 1 explores education, training, and employment options open to young…

The collection of readings reflects some of the findings of a five year cooperative research project entitled Educational Experiences of Non-College Youth that focused on four areas of occupational training: (1) apprentices, (2) private trade schools, (3) training courses in the armed forces and (4) on-the-job training. Control of training, the…

This comprehensive review of the public system of occupational education and job training for women in the United States focuses on education and training for occupations that require less than a four-year college degree. Chapter 1, "Job Training for Women: The Problem in a Policy Context" (Harlan, Steinberg), sketches an outline of job training…

These 43 conference papers on vocational education and training (VET) markets are grouped under three broad themes describing them. Sixteen papers deal with the VET product and providers: "The VET Market" (Kemp); "Market Frameworks in VET" (FitzGerald); "The New Zealand Market Approach" (Barker); "An Economic…

This book provides a policy update on the school-to-work (STW) transition in a wide range of countries. Fourteen chapters give a comprehensive overview of the main issues in policy formulation and a detailed consideration of how policies have been considered and implemented in those countries. The chapters are: "Introduction: STW Policies in…

This book contains the following papers about the role of vocational education and training in developing a competent work force in Great Britain (United Kingdom): "The Challenge of Competence for the Caring Professions: An Overview" (Phil Hodkinson, Mary Issitt); "The European Challenge to British Vocational Education and…

This book traces the history and growth of vocational education (VE) in the United States. The following are among the topics discussed in the book's nine chapters: early beginnings of VE in the United States (European influence, apprenticeship, industrial revolution, manual training movement); leaders influencing vocational curriculum development…

This book, which traces the emergence of an official state-sanctioned learning policy for education and training in the United Kingdom, examines how the country's government has taken a concerted approach to accomplishing the following two goals: (1) integrating the reproduction of knowledge at all levels in the educational institutions under…