This document provides background for those looking to establish workplace mentoring or buddy systems. It touches briefly on the other two legs of an effective workplace preparation program, which are orientation and on-the-job training. These six steps for setting up a mentoring system are described: recruitment, flexibility, training, written…

Three presentations are provided from Symposium 39, Integrating Learning with Working, of the Academy of Human Resource Development (HRD) 2000 Conference Proceedings. "Constructing Knowledge in Continuing Professional Education [CPE]" (Barbara J. Daley, Merryl Carlsson) reports an analysis of the interrelationships between professional…

The first of the four papers in this symposium, "Knowledge Management and Knowledge Dissemination" (Wim J. Nijhof), presents two case studies exploring the strategies companies use in sharing and disseminating knowledge and expertise among employees. "A Theory of Knowledge Management" (Richard J. Torraco), develops a conceptual…

Describes the many government-sponsored training programs and facilities operated by a large German chemical company, in-plant and in their vocational school and laboratories, which provide vocational training and employment opportunities in various trades for school leavers as well as advanced training for skilled workers. (MF)

Compares employers' stated needs for entry-level workers possessing better academic skills with their training programs and hiring practices to supposedly meet this need. Discovers a dichotomy between the stated needs and the corrective practice. Most remedial training emphasizes short-term job skills and hiring practices do not reward academic…

This publication is designed to help service providers deliver high-quality workplace development services cost effectively to small and medium-sized businesses. The guide looks at five service delivery strategies: learning consortia, walk-in centers, distance learning, computer-based training, and trained volunteers. These five strategies offer a…

This report includes two sections: (1) an overview of the issues involved in joint labor/management workplace education programs and (2) a description of such a program partnering two union locals, nine hospitals, and Bunker Hill Community College to implement a workplace-based career ladder program. The first section explains that unions and…

A reflective self-assessment process was used to evaluate Project RISE, a 1-year, federally funded workplace literacy project. The goal of the evaluation was to help staff understand their collective experience in a way that might help them to serve their clients more effectively in the future. A list of the most critical problems faced by staff…

Changing employer-based training represents one strategy that U.S. firms are adopting to confront recent transformations in the global economy. The new competitive conditions place new and different demands on workers, more of whom are being called upon to use technical, conceptual, and communications skills. Approaches to training in particular…

Workplace education (WPE) has a significant role to play in solving basic skills problems and in other training requirements. In addition to the benefit of a more able, adaptable work force, WPE leads to more contented workers, encouraged by better employment opportunities. In addition, employees benefit by being more confident both within the…

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LABOR FORCE SKILLS AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF BLUE COLLAR JOBS ARE RECONCILED BY MEANS OVER WHICH THE EMPLOYER, ALONE OR WITH A LABOR ORGANIZATION, EXERCISES CONTROL. THE ADJUSTMENT MODEL PRESENTED IN THIS STUDY RECOGNIZES AN INPLANT LABOR MARKET CONNECTED TO THE EXTERNAL MARKET AT A LIMITED NUMBER OF POINTS. CERTAIN…

The Pittsburgh Plan, a voluntary hometown plan designed to place minorities in local building trade unions, is described in detail from the perspective of its operations, its effectiveness in carrying out its purpose, and the individuals it serves. A benefit-cost analysis of the Pittsburgh Plan is presented. The significance of the results and its…

This study addresses the issue of how new forms of work organization (NFWO) are affecting job skill requirements. Practices such as job rotation, problem-solving teams and self-directed workgroups are thought to increase job skill requirements because they tend to broaden job responsibilities. The study uses the 1999 and 2000 waves of the…

These four papers are from a symposium that was facilitated by Toni Powell on the change process in organizations at the 1995 Academy of Human Resource Development (HRD) conference. "The Effectiveness of Change Agents as Affected by Strategic Interactions" (Marie A. George) explores the nature of strategic interactions exhibited by a chief…

These three papers were presented at a symposium on orchestrating work and learning in human resource development (HRD) moderated by Susan Lynham at the 1996 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development. "Team Learning: Processes, Interventions and Assessment" (Laurel S. Jeris et al.) explores team learning processes, paying…