Discusses the implementation of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and its impact on community colleges. Relates WIA to issues of new vocationalism and describes some creative community college programs. (Contains 17 references.) (NB)

Criticizes the slow rate of responsiveness of the community college bureaucracy to the needs of the local business constituency. Highlights trends toward off-campus, on-site specialized job training programs; and the establishment of economic development centers and other special mechanisms for vocational training. (DMM)

Identifies reasons for declining U.S. productivity, including the failure to distribute new technologies to users and lack of effective technology transfer. Argues for improved links between research and dissemination/application, increased concern for the human side of manufacturing, and an enhanced role for community colleges in training workers…

Describes the Industry Quality Teams (IQTs) at Florida's Valencia Community College, an institution-wide effort to link the needs of a contemporary workforce to the classroom curriculum. Reviews the structure and functions of the college's six IQTs, indicating that they work to revise curricula, develop partnerships, implement marketing…

Reviews Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) services and JTPA's potential for helping community colleges retain students. Discusses how community colleges can effectively expand their role in meeting the educational needs of JTPA participants through collaborative job training efforts with private enterprise. (DMM)

Discusses methods of assessing job preparatory-training outcomes, particularly a product called Data Linking for Outcomes Assessment (DLOA). Contends that through data linking, conclusions about programs, job placement, and salaries for graduates can be drawn with ease. Describes key design features for creating a DLOA. (EMH)

Presents an excerpt from the book, Help Wanted...Credentials Required: Community Colleges in the Knowledge Economy. States that credentials are now highly sought after by many employees, and community colleges must balance between providing a good education/training and the economic strain of doing so. Discusses changes in the trends of higher…

Discusses the Working Connections Program, a program funded by Microsoft Corporation and administered by American Association of Community Colleges. Describes the program as being created to assist community colleges in the development and implementation of information technology (IT) programs that are designed to train skilled IT workers. (NB)

Discusses the changing nature of vocational education in the community college, offers models and strategies for organizing and delivering vocational education, and presents evidence on program effectiveness and outcomes associated with student participation. Notes that for some vocational education approaches--for example, tech prep--little is…

At Wisconsin's Madison Area Technical College (MATC), both external and internal partnerships are a fundamental part of instructional programming. As the need for technological and mathematical competence in the workforce has increased, partnerships between the college and business and industry have become more important and represent an…

In 1991, a project was undertaken to gather information to evaluate the impact of the Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory (SSCL) on the training and employment needs of North Central Texas. Project goals were to: (1) revise and expand INTERLINK's labor demand estimates and forecasts for the combined North Central Texas and SSCL regions; (2)…

This volume addresses the efforts in several states, including California, Florida, North Carolina, and Washington, to determine the economic gains of community college graduates by measuring their post-college earnings. Articles include: (1) "Economic Benefits of a Community College Education: Issues of Accountability and Performance Measures"…

The Alabama Aviation and Technical College, working with representatives of the aviation industry, the military, the Alabama Department of Aeronautics, and the Federal Aviation Administration, developed a training program for aviation maintenance technicians. The program also aimed to emphasize and expand opportunities for minorities, females, and…

To meet the price and quality challenges of foreign manufacturers, U.S. industry has had to invest heavily in technology, incorporating it extensively into both the manufacturing process and product. This trend, termed the "New Industrial Revolution" has created a new challenge--educating technicians to service these highly technical,…