Describes results of a survey of workers concerning skills needed to obtain a job and training to improve those skills. Sources of training are explored. Occupational patterns are examined by group: executive, administrative, and managerial; professional specialty; technical; sales; clerical, household; service; farming; precision production; and…

Leading-edge firms (LEFs)--at the forefront of their industry in terms of growth or market share--may influence skill development through diffusion of technology, products, or practices and use of market power to set standards or change customer businesses. Study of LEFs can identify the type and mix of skills needed in the industry. LEFs are…

Research identified feasible strategies to support flexible delivery in operating workplaces. Sites were 12 enterprises in Victoria. Findings indicated flexible delivery was largely implemented by enterprises through the provision of a range of learning opportunities that included on-the-job observation, practice and mentoring, access to learning…

This instructor's guide was used to help instructors present a course in test-taking skills and five areas that are tested in a standardized test used for apprenticeship screening at many manufacturing companies. The course description lists target audience, general objective, and typical results observed. The rationale for the whole language…

A 3-year workplace literacy project combined the resources and efforts of a junior and a technical college, literacy education providers, and businesses to implement an assessment and education program for textile workers. The program included four components: (1) reading, writing, speaking, listening, and mathematics skills; (2) creative…

A research project studied in depth four organizations using organizational learning approaches to embed continuous learning within actual work processes. The most sustainable benefits, in terms of both individual and organizational needs, tended to result from "action" or "situated" learning that is informal and accrues…

A study explored questions on changing skill requirements of small firms in the services sector that are internationalizing their activities. These seven European Union (EU) member states were involved: Greece, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Austria, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The services sector accounted for a significant part of the EU…

The first of the four papers in this symposium, "Human Resource Development's Contribution to Strategic Service Quality Performance in Radisson Hotels Worldwide" (Richard A. Swanson, Julie M. Hays, Arthur V. Hill, George John, David W. Johnson, Susan Geurs), illustrates the strategic alignment and contribution of HRD (human resource…

A workplace basic skills project for the metal casting industry was established jointly by Central Alabama Community College and Robinson Foundry, Inc. Evaluation of the project was made through a commercial test of hourly workers' general literacy level gains, instructor-developed pre- and posttests of mastery of the industrial process and…

This book contains eight papers examining vocational expertise and how best to develop it. The first paper, "Vocational Expertise" (John Stevenson), presents five approaches to developing it. The role of context in patterning cognition is considered in "Authenticity in Workplace Learning Settings" (Stephen Billett). In…

This teaching guide contains nine lesson plans for teaching job-related English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) to employees at Barber Foods in Maine. The lessons cover the following topics: (1) rotation directions; (2) protective clothing (level 2 and level 2/3); (3) talking to supervisors; (4) accident prevention; (5) machinery…

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 the results of a project conducted to document the skills and behaviors that have been identified as essential for a work force facing the challenges of global competition in an environment of rapidly changing markets. The workplace competencies and foundation skills defined in "Skills and Tasks for Jobs: A SCANS…

"Creative business services" have grown rapidly in Great Britain and are important in terms of their impact on the economy, including their contribution to international trade. They have helped and been boosted by such business changes as privatization, spread of information technology (IT), and contracting out of services. The sectors…

A demonstration project was conducted in Alabama to create a basic skills workplace curriculum that would assist a local corporation in improving work force productivity. During the 3-year project, a job-specific curriculum was written for Russell Corporation's Skills Training at Russell (STAR) program. The curriculum covered four topics: safety,…