A study examined the perceptions of employers in Michigan concerning the vocational training received by employees who either completed or left vocational training programs in 1980. A second objective of the study was to compare the relative cost and effectiveness of using telephone and mail surveys to gather data for this type of study. Of a…

The Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) conducted this study in order to obtain a central measure of institutional effectiveness in the performance of graduates in the work place. The answers to the study questions provide a basis for educational improvement. A survey was mailed to employers who register to recruit from DCCCD…

A British project was conducted to improve understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of certification for work-based training and to analyze factors that influence the demand for accreditation. Three studies investigated what was happening in three employment sectors: tourism (service/commercial), social services (public administration),…

A study examined the current employment status of persons who graduated from the Dutchess County (New York) Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) Technical Center in June 1992. Data were obtained from a follow-up survey mailed to program graduates in October 1992. Of the 456 individuals who graduated in 1992, 207 were still available…

Adeptness in abstractions and analysis--the language of math--is at least as important as adeptness at reading words for individuals in business and industry. Mathematics literacy stimulates the problem-solving and critical thinking skills that the workplace now demands. A National Assessment of Educational Progress study found that about half of…

This document reports Stage 1 of a study of quality assurance in nonadvanced further education in England and Wales. Stage 1 involved: (1) an assessment of the influence of external agencies and national examining bodies via a review of published documents and interviews with key personnel; (2) an exploration of the expectations and perceptions of…

A study examined the effectiveness of the cooperative training component of the vocational/technical programs at 30 junior and community colleges and technical institutes throughout Texas. Data were collected from 353 cooperative education students (of 445 contacted), 108 coordinators (of 160 contacted), and 121 work site supervisors (of 488…

Designed to assist Illinois public community colleges in satisfying state and federal reporting requirements, this handbook provides guidelines for conducting vocational education follow-up studies and reporting data. Following introductory information, an overview is presented of the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) Management Information…

This study followed up 79,812 vocational job training completers and 316 vocational job training leavers in Ohio for the school year 1981-82. Data were gathered in January 1983 for the 1982 graduating class. The results of the study showed that economic benefits resulted from completing a vocational job training program. Even with the severely…

This publication presents examples of outcome and institutional effectiveness information produced through student and employer follow-up for Texas community and technical colleges from 1978-1987. The data in the booklet were collected through the Texas Student Information System (Tex-SIS) and are presented in reference to a series of questions…

Between June 1987 and June 1989, Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) undertook several activities to assess student outcomes in accordance with the college's 1987 plan for student assessment. Specific measures included determining entering student characteristics, college transfer education outcomes, occupational/technical education…

A study sponsored by the Bureau of Adult and Community Education, Florida Department of Education, was conducted by the Center for Needs Assessment and Planning at Florida State University to compare the success of General Educational Development (GED) and traditional high school graduates in Florida's work force. (GED graduates account for about…

This paper reviews a sample of follow-up studies conducted by community colleges to determine the employment experiences of occupational program graduates. Part I discusses the types of follow-up studies conducted, including institutional follow-up studies of graduates from individual vocational programs, of all vocational graduates, and of…

The United Kingdom's system of apprenticeships and its relationship to vocational education and employment are discussed, with focus on recent government initiatives, access to apprenticeships, and efforts to coordinate training with labor market needs. (MSE)

In summer 1994, an employer follow-up study was conducted at John Tyler Community College (JTCC), in Chester, Virginia, to gather data on JTCC graduates' preparation for their jobs, attitudes toward work, and adequacy of specific skills. Based on permission granted by graduates, surveys were sent to 127 employers of JTCC graduates, with usable…