Technological advances necessitate the continuous retraining of the work force. Three technologies are having greatest impact on the labor force: (1) the scope and depth of computer skills required by most jobs continue to expand; (2) robotics in manufacturing means that certain new jobs are more technical and require postsecondary education; and…

This report summarizes a national invitational conference at which 36 representatives from business, industry, education, and government addressed the ways in which the issues of skill obsolescence, unemployment, illiteracy, displacement, and finance of career development affect adult learners, employers, and providers of education and training.…

This audioconference report consists of nine sessions, each featuring a panel of experts who discussed a variety of issues related to collaboration in education and employment. The focus is on practitioners and employers and how they can collaborate to improve the quality of schooling and employment opportunities for secondary- and…

A study examined management perspectives on retraining workers and educational alternatives for such training. During the study, more than 300 senior human resource executives from Fortune 1500 firms across the nation were interviewed by telephone. Of those interviewed, 84 percent felt that their workers are concerned about such issues as: losing…

This publication discusses reforms in lifelong learning undertaken in the 11 states represented on the National Governors' Association Action Team on Lifelong Learning. It is a catalog of initiatives to create greater opportunities for youth and adults to obtain skills needed to compete effectively in a global economy. The reforms discussed in…

Analysis of the costs of employing older workers indicates that some types of employment costs do vary by age and that overall compensation costs increase with age, largely because of increasing employee benefit costs. There is, however, no statistical evidence that direct salary costs increase by age on an economy-wide basis. The belief that…

These proceedings consist of summaries of the following papers and discussions that were presented at a conference designed to bring leaders from education, business, state and local government, and labor together to discuss Minnesota's need to address the issue of basic skills in the workplace. The volume begins with a foreword by Rosemarie Park…

A project used the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) to assist eligible dislocated workers in determining whether training offered by the Toledo Dislocated Worker Consortium fit their needs. More specifically, O*NET was used to help the dislocated workers understand whether they had knowledge and skills that were transferable into the…

These proceedings contain 11 papers that examine several diverse collaborative efforts designed to improve education and training programs through substantive involvement of the private sector. Authors and titles are as follows: "Public-Private Sector Collaboration in Education: Implications for Research, Policy, and the Education of Professional…

The Older Worker Project was conducted to provide employment services to unemployed persons aged 45 and older who live in the western part of the Hennepin County (Minneapolis, Minnesota) area. Although the expected result was permanent employment of the participants, the intention of this demonstration project was to refine service approaches…

This report, the first of a series on productivity and job security, presents five case studies to illustrate retraining to achieve worker's adjustment to technology. The first of seven chapters addresses the following issues: the availability of job training/retraining data, the desirability of informing workers in advance of technological…

With Social Security and retirement benefits unable to keep up with inflation, and persons living longer than ever in this country, retirement at age 65 or younger may no longer be a desirable choice for millions of older workers. These themes were articulated by government officials and foundation officers at the first session of a U.S. Senate…

The question of why some employers opt to lay off current workers and hire new workers with different skills while other employers retrain and retain their workers was examined. First, the literature on employer-provided training and the role of social capital in the workplace was reviewed. Next, data from a 1994 national employers survey of firms…