This congressional hearing contains testimony given in Montpelier, Vermont, at the first of a series of nationwide hearings on vocational education. Focus of this particular hearing is on the specific needs of Vermont as a rural northeastern state to train a workforce that is talented enough to help retrain existing businesses and industry and…

A study assessed the need for technology programs in Grant County, Indiana. After compiling background data (population projections for the region, the educational level of adults living in the region, and the number and size of firms located in the area), concerning Grant County and the counties surrounding it, the researchers formulated…

This document contains three papers from a symposium on technological change and human resource development. "New Technologies, Cognitive Demands, and the Implications for Learning Theory" (Richard J. Torraco) identifies four specific characteristics of the tasks involved in using new technologies (contingent versus deterministic tasks,…

This document contains three papers from a symposium titled "Competence: Fuzzy Concepts to Context.""Sales Superstars: Defining Competencies Needed for Sales Performance" (Darlene Russ-Eft, Edward Del Gaizo, Jeannie Moulton, Ruth Pangilinan) discusses a study in which an analysis of 1,688 critical incidents revealed 16…

This document contains three papers from a symposium on different ways of learning. "How Engineers Learn in the Face of Organizational Change" (Robert Reardon) reports on a qualitative study during which nine engineers described how they learned to perform their altered roles after a major reorganization. The study findings supported…

In the United States today, too many hardworking people are unable to earn enough through work to support their families. Policymakers can help change this situation by taking the following steps: (1) keep work central; (2) promote family-supporting work; (3) invest in education and work skills; (4) make it easier for individuals to stay employed…

A community initiative (called ADAPT) was intended to help the workforce in European Union countries to adapt to industrial change and prepare for the information society, as well as to promote growth, employment, and the competitiveness of companies in the countries. Between 1995 and 1999, 4,000 projects were funded to transform the ways in which…

This document shares strategies and techniques that can facilitate transfer of learning among health care workers. The guide begins with a discussion of reasons why "good" training fails and lists possible interventions for addressing the following performance factors: job expectations; performance feedback; physical environment and…

This document contains the following five papers, all in both English and Korean, from a workshop on on-the-job training held in Korea in 2001: "Issues in Knowledge and Skills Development: Globalization and the Effective Use of New Technologies" (S. Ian Cummings); "The Knowledge Economy and Vocational Training Policy in Korea"…

This paper presents specific steps elected officials, program managers, and other policymakers can take to craft a more effective workforce development system intended to give workers the tools they need to succeed in the new economy. First, the new labor market and work systems are discussed. The paper then lays out eight principles for all…

This paper explores the traditional European model of vocational training in light of a new focus on employability and lifelong learning that is becoming more common in Europe. It includes the following four sections: (1) an overview of some examples of vocational training systems in Europe and the proposal that they share enough to be considered…

An analysis was conducted of the results of a formative evaluation of the LiteracyLink "Workplace Essential Skills" (WES) learning system conducted in the fall of 1998. (The WES learning system is a multimedia learning system integrating text, sound, graphics, animation, video, and images in a computer system and includes a videotape series, a…

This document contains three papers on professional development. "An Inquiry into the Continuing Professional Education of Information Technology Workers" (David D. Branigan) reports on a study in which the model of the critically reflective teacher was used to examine the practice of continuing education for the information technology…

This booklet presents 12 examples of innovative initiatives to skill shortages nationwide. The description of each one provides this information: the challenge, partners, the story, and contacts with addresses and telephone numbers. The initiatives are Communications Workers of America and Cisco Systems: Military to Work Project; Knowbility and…

This document profiles successful projects designed to develop Appalachia's labor force, economy, and educational opportunities. The 86 project profiles provided are grouped by the following five goals that were established for the region by the Appalachian Regional Commission: (1) Appalachian residents will have the skills and knowledge necessary…