Leaders in the business community often talk about the "skills gap," the gap between the skills needed for good jobs in the economy and the skills that prospective employees possess. Though there is debate as to whether or not such a gap actually exists, the idea of the "skills gap" can be a helpful way to frame instances where…

Roughly one in five American adults, or approximately 53 million people, live with some type of disability, and their unemployment and poverty rates are nearly double the rates of people without disabilities. Labor force participation for people with disabilities is just 20.2 percent--less than a third of the rate of participation among people…

Little research has been conducted on the effectiveness of training strategies for child care providers. The current study used an experimental intent-to-treat design to measure the impact of an established intervention, the on-site caregiver training component of the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC), on child development and child care…

This article features the Dysart Unified School District in Surprise, Arizona and discusses how the district developed a long-term professional development plan. The authors present an example that highlights what is becoming common practice in the district: supporting teachers through differentiated, job-embedded professional learning, using…

This article explores the different steps involved in adopting a new service model at the University of Arizona Science-Engineering Library. In a time of shrinking budgets and changing user behavior the library was forced to rethink it reference services to be cost effective and provide quality service at the same time. The new model required…

Thirty-three employers in rural Arizona were interviewed concerning employer expectations, workplace opportunities, authority patterns, rewards, and social interaction at work regarding entry level workers directly out of high school. Available work was low skill with few rewards, yet demanded strong social skills and work ethic. Discusses…

The Rural Adventures in Workplace Literacy project at the College of Eastern Utah (San Juan Campus) assessed the literacy and basic needs of employees, developed curriculum materials, and provided training to employees in six industries in southeastern Utah and northern Arizona. Nine industries were contacted; six participated and were firmly…

The Northern Arizona Hospitality Education Program is an exemplary three-year project designed to help students, mainly Indian, obtain job skills and attitudes necessary for successful employment in the hospitality industry. Nine high schools from Apache, Coconino, and Navajo Counties participated in the project. Objectives included providing an…

THE CAREER SELECTION EDUCATION (CSE) ACTIVITIES OF 14 SCHOOLS IN THE WESTERN STATES SMALL SCHOOLS PROJECT ARE REPORTED. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT WERE TO HELP STUDENTS IN RURAL AREAS MAKE REALISTIC CAREER SELECTIONS, DEVELOP AN AWARENESS OF REQUISITE SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES IN A BROAD SPECTRUM OF CAREERS, AND DEVELOP SPECIFIC JOB ENTRY SKILLS.…