One promising practice for improving workplace preparation, apprenticeship, has been effective in preparing skilled workers for the changing needs of the workplace. Apprenticeship is a training strategy with eight components: it combines hands-on training on the job with related instruction; employer needs dictate programs; it is regulated by law;…

Michael Marquet of New Zealand left school 10 years ago, not able to read or write and with a serious speech problem. He had spent 9 years in a special class and had learned very little. He had completed 2 years of high school and left at the end of the fourth form, at the age of 15 and with no qualifications. However, he had participated in a…

School-to-work linkage refers to the concept of apprenticeship that begins in secondary school. It is an approach to education and training that allows high school seniors to be registered as apprentices with the U.S. Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training while completing their secondary school education. Senior high school students are employed…

In the face of chronic youth unemployment, decision makers in many countries are questioning the role and effectiveness of alternance between school-based vocational training and in-company work experience. This notion applies to three very different realities: training courses offered as an alternative to traditional school-based training for…

This document contains the analysis of public responses to an issue paper published in the Federal Register (December 2, 1987) regarding the U.S. Department of Labor's Apprenticeship 2000 initiative, the purpose of which is to determine the future role of apprenticeship in meeting needs for a skilled work force. The document contains the following…

This report is a summary of recommendations for the renewal of upper secondary school vocational education in Sweden. The recommendations summarized here were made by the Swedish Vocational Upper Secondary Education Reviewing Panel. The panel found that the best way to improve the quality of vocational education in all sectors is by establishing…

Traditionally, the road to good jobs for young persons in West Germany has been the "dual system" of vocational education and training (VET), similar to apprenticeships in the United States, but practiced on a much wider scale. A large percentage of West German youth usually enter such programs after high school in order to prepare for…

This annotated bibliography includes a listing of programs and program information concerning apprenticeship, as well as apprenticeship-related curriculum materials. Included are materials that cover strategies for linking vocational education to apprenticeship and a series of books devoted to apprenticeship instructor training. The curriculum…

Emphasizing community resources which are most accessible to Seattle's Indian population, this manual is designed to aid Native Americans in their explorations of vocational training and occupational choices. In the information sources section, six Seattle organizations along with program services offered by each are listed. It is noted also that…

This booklet describes the choices and opportunities available to Canadian students as they move from eighth grade to secondary school. It offers brief descriptions of various programs such as work experience programs and cooperative education, as well as correspondence courses, night school, summer school, private schools, alternative schools,…

The 14 chapters in this volume examine different types of apprenticeships from a variety of perspectives. "Introduction" (Patrick Ainley, Helen Rainbird) provides an overview of the content. Three chapters in Part 1 examine the history of apprenticeship: "The Apprentice in History" (Richard Aldrich); "The Changing…

President Clinton's proposed youth apprenticeship for non-college-bound students may not equalize educational opportunities or improve economic prospects for poor and minority students but may reproduce inequities. One democratic alternative is to offer an education that equips students with specific vocational skills and abilities. (SM)

A study examined cooperative education programs identified as high quality to see if they could provide school-to-work linkages as do apprenticeship programs in countries such as Germany. Information for the study was obtained from a survey of state directors of cooperative education, who provided data on program participation and identified high…

Real, quantifiable evidence shows that school-to-work (STW) programs yield two important benefits: positive academic results for students and positive business results for employers. Preliminary research indicates that workplace learning leads to higher academic achievement; reduced dropout rates; better attendance; better college preparation; and…

A study compared a number of features of apprenticeships in the 12 Member States of the European Union. The study showed that the apprentice contract or indenture has become an integral part of apprenticeship in all Member States. Admissions requirements for access to apprenticeshp, in general, are not high. Although it was an option open to those…