Texas State Technical College (TSTC) single mission is graduating students who can go on to attain higher-paying jobs. The state's funding formula was specifically designed to hold TSTC accountable to accomplish this mission. Texas statute stipulates that TSTC will offer "courses of study in technical-vocational education for which there is…

A number of economists, policymakers, elected officials, and employers cite a "skills gap" as the reason the nation is not putting more people back to work. The problem, they reason, is that too many people have the wrong skills for today's jobs, and colleges and universities are not doing enough to prepare people with the right skills.…

"The Road to Recovery: Projecting U.S. Job Growth and Higher Education Demand through 2020" (this issue, p26-29) presented six key indicators that highlighted the latest in education and employment needs for the success of the future jobs market. While the U.S. economy is growing, questions still remain: What skills do employers value…

Responding to the need for a definition of the role and status of human resources development (HRD) practitioners in Australia, this paper explores the nature of HRD and the educational requirements of HRD trainers. After discussing problems associated with the terms "training" and "development," the paper presents three models…

Nearly all tertiary institutions in Hong Kong now offer associate degrees; the intent is a broad-based science and humanities curriculum with the aim of achieving the government goal of increasing access to higher education. However, a narrowly focused curriculum still predominates and few associate degree recipients view it as a terminal…

This is a report by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) on a the shortage of registered nurses (RN) in the United States and the role of community colleges in nurse education. Reasons for the shortage include: (1) inadequate wages; (2) heavy workloads; (3) undesirable work schedules; (4) increased administrative duties; (5) low…

Current education reform efforts show a lack of attention to the three out of four students currently in the educational system who are unlikely to ever earn baccalaureate degrees. The Tech Prep Associate Degree Program (TPAD) is aimed at preparing this neglected majority for the demands of a complex and shifting economy and improving teaching and…

This newsletter from the Community College Baccalaureate Association provides research and institutional updates on community college baccalaureate degrees. The first issue introduces the organization and provides a brief description of the highly specialized four-year degrees (applied, workforce degrees) that are designed to meet the needs of…

This newsletter from the Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA) provides research and institutional updates on community college baccalaureate degrees. The first issue describes two institutional case studies of community college baccalaureate degree programs. The first, a manufacturing technology baccalaureate degree at Westark…

This book explores high-skill and high-wage jobs available through two-year programs. It identifies 100 high-need occupational areas, and discusses "hot" programs and starting salaries for graduates of dental hygiene, manufacturing, process technology, telecommunications, physical therapy assisting, and registered nursing. Each career article…

In the spring of 1975, a manpower survey was conducted to determine the educational, occupational, and career plans of college students in Indiana who were about to complete the requirements for an associate degree. Fifty percent (1,467) of the expected associate degree recipients from public institutions, and all 623 of the expected reciPients…

Phase I of this project was conducted to pilot test an associate degree program for the preparation of traffic safety technicians. Previously developed curriculum materials were revised by an advisory committee in accordance with the level of expertise and sophistication of the 27 students enrolled in the 2-year program and to meet the needs of…

Employers have begun to see that one of the keys to corporate success is a workforce of adaptable and agile learners who are constantly upgrading skills. While a gap currently exists between employer needs and qualified employees in the marketplace, businesses have shown themselves to be willing to fill unmet needs. Over 1,000 corporate colleges…

In fall 1993, a roundtable was held with leading Tech Prep practitioners to discuss the direction Tech Prep has taken since 1990 and emerging issues related to the implementation of Tech Prep Associate Degree (TPAD) programs. Stemming from the roundtable, this monograph describes Tech Prep, provides recommendations for implementation, and…

This paper examines the impact American community colleges have on the nation's economic development. The profile of the community college offered here indicates that there are 1,236 public and private non-profit community colleges in the United States, with an additional 300 to 400 for-profit institutions sometimes included in the category. The…