In Germany and elsewhere, the literature on current and future work requirements rarely discusses the effects of globalization, internationalization, computerization, and other factors from the point of view of workers. Some have suggested that a blurring of limits will be one of the main changes in work in the future. This blurring will involve…

The National Center for Education Statistics conducted a comprehensive analysis of the current context of vocational education (VE), employer perspectives on VE, trends in secondary and postsecondary VE, the academic preparation of students participating in VE, relevant school reform efforts, and VE students' transitions after high school. Among…

This report presents the testimony and submissions presented at the first of a series of Congressional hearings on workforce development and reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act. Statements were given by the following individuals: (1) Buck McKeon, U.S. (United States) Congressman from California; (2) John Tierney, U.S. Congressman from…

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conducted a thematic review to identify changes in young people's transition to working life during the 1990s and to identify those policies and programs that are effective in delivering successful transition outcomes for young people. The review focused on 14 countries with widely…

This document, which contains information relevant to individuals planning their careers, employers, human resource planners, and training institutions, examines the skill needs of the South African labor market in 1998-2003. The preface presents a brief overview of the factors that have contributed to the high levels of unemployment and patterns…

This book explains how high school teachers and counselors can modify their schools' existing programs to create viable options for noncollege-bound students and help them regain control over their lives. Chapters 1-7 discuss the following topics: (1) rescuing a generation adrift; (2) recognizing the forces behind the "one way to win" mentality;…

This book contains 17 papers devoted to the following four aspects of the transition to adulthood: effects of alterations in the structure of opportunity; effects of prior experiences in the family; effects of prior experience in the workplace; and career development and marriage formation during a period of rising inequality. The following papers…

This report is the product of an effort by the Office of Technology Policy to assess current and future needs for information technology (IT) workers through a comprehensive information-gathering project that included the following three activities: (1) nationwide regional meetings that included discussions with industry executives,…

The labor market prospects of out-of-school young adults and options for improving the employment and earnings potential of all young adults were examined. The following issues were among those considered: demographic and social factors affecting young adults' employment prospects; employment trends and labor market problems in the United States…

The French worker certification system is focusing on efforts to design a scheme for the accreditation of work-based learning. If implemented, the scheme would be directed by a business-government-worker partnership, recognized and accepted by different occupations, and accessible to all employees regardless of the way their qualifications were…

This report presents the testimony and submissions given at a field hearing on workforce training in Michigan. Four expert witness statements follow introductory comments from Vernon J. Ehlers and James A. Barcia, United States Congressmen from Michigan. The statement of Bruce P. Mehlman, the assistant secretary of commerce, assesses the ability…

This book provides a comprehensive examination of the rise of free agent workers, how free agency is transforming the lives of free agents and those around them, problems encountered by free agents, and the future of free agency. The following are among the topics discussed in the book's 19 chapters: (1) the numbers and nuances of free agency; (2)…

The current situation regarding training Massachusetts' workers for the new economy was reviewed. Special attention was paid to the following topics: Massachusetts and the skill-centered economy; opportunities for workforce system reform; skills demanded in the new economy; ways other states are building workers' skills; and the fragile setting…

This book examines the factors responsible for the difficulties being experienced by many young Canadians trying to find permanent jobs in a growing economy and explains how Canadian youths can make the best use of the opportunities offered by academic and other programs to find a satisfying life in the workforce. The following are among the…

This book contains 19 papers from a study of vocational education and training (VET) in 19 countries with different economic situations (transition economies, high-growth economies, low-growth economies). The papers focus on the following issues addressed in the study: (1) the countries' experiences in reforming national VET policies; (2)…