Purpose: The major objective of this study is to examine the efficacy of the technical and vocational training courses imparted to generate employment or enhance the productivity of participants. Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted in the province of Sindh, Pakistan by adopting a quasi-experimental approach. The experiment was…

This study investigates community college skills builders--students who enroll for a short time, take courses concentrated in career and technical education (CTE), are highly successful in their coursework, but typically leave college without a postsecondary credential. Drawing on administrative data from Colorado, Ohio, Michigan, and California,…

High school vocational education has a controversial history in the United States, largely due to a perceived tradeoff between teaching readily deployable occupational skills versus shunting mostly disadvantaged students away from the educational and career flexibility afforded by general academic courses. We study the effects of a nationwide high…

Many students do not complete full qualifications in the vocational education and training (VET) system because their intention is to obtain only the particular skills they require. This can be achieved through the acquisition of skill sets; these enable flexibility in training to quickly respond to changes in the labour market. Skill sets may…

America's education system, from kindergarten through the state university, is designed to produce college graduates. Those who stop short of at least a community-college diploma are widely regarded as failures, or at least victims of a failed system. Yet most Americans fall into this category, and current trends offer little hope for improvement.…

Young people have been hit especially hard by changes in the labor market over the past decades. Unemployment among 16- to 24-year-olds increased the most of any age group during the recent recession, and remains more than double that among older adults. The unemployment rate is especially high for young people without high school diplomas.…

This article presents a comparative analysis of the determinants of early school leaving (ESL) at the country level. We decompose ESL rates into two components: a "primary" rate reflecting unqualified school leaving from initial education, and a second component accounting for early school leavers who participate in training programmes.…

Describes five patterns of student participation in vocational courses: (1) concentrators, (2) limited concentrators, (3) concentrators/explorers, (4) explorers, and (5) incidental/personals. Highlights some equity issues. (Author/CH)

From a sample of 15,000 veterans, 6,141 responded to a series of questionnaires developed to gather information to assess the effectiveness of the veterans' education program (authorized by the Veterans' Readjustment Benefits Act of 1966). Responses indicated that generally, a veteran entered training for one of three reasons--to earn a degree,…

In April 1980, Vocational Education Data System representatives at each of the seven community colleges in Hawaii surveyed students who, during 1978-79, graduated from vocational education programs or left these programs prior to graduation. Questionnaires were mailed to 6,629 former students, requesting information on current educational and/or…

A study investigated the labor market transition of youths over the first 8-14 postschooling years using the 1992 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Its primary objective was to develop an understanding of youth labor markets by examining the effects of training and early labor market experiences on economic well-being over a long span of…

A study examined decisions involving private, postsecondary vocational schooling using three large, national sets of data (from the National Longitudinal Surveys) on males. Particular attention is paid to three target groups--inner-city and rural individuals and dropouts. Various equations were estimated using a life-cycle model of time allocation…

A study examined decisions involving private, postsecondary vocational schooling using three large, national sets of data (from the National Longitudinal Surveys) on males. Particular attention is paid to three target groups: inner-city and rural individuals and dropouts. Various equations were estimated using a life-cycle model of time allocation…

This study followed up 79,812 vocational job training completers and 316 vocational job training leavers in Ohio for the school year 1981-82. Data were gathered in January 1983 for the 1982 graduating class. The results of the study showed that economic benefits resulted from completing a vocational job training program. Even with the severely…

A study gathered followup information on the 1983-84 graduates of Oregon community college vocational students. Of the 83 percent of the graduates who were either employed or pursuing further education, 73 percent were doing so in areas related to the training they had received while enrolled in the community college program. Female graduates…