Fitchburg State College (Massachusetts), a comprehensive public college, initiated restructuring using Total Quality Management (TQM) techniques in December 1992. The effort's mission was to increase communication, to identify barriers to defined goals and service to students, and to find ways to overcome those barriers. Two surveys followed the…

A study examined the history, practice, and quality of cooperative education (CE) in two-year colleges in and around Cincinnati, Ohio. CE proved to be firmly ingrained and widespread in Cincinnati. The most common model of CE found in Cincinnati was the "alternating" model, wherein students complete 2-6 cycles of attending school for…

The Maryland Higher Education Commission surveyed more than 2,500 employers in the state to learn what programs at various degree levels were desired by employers. The results were examined along with labor market data about the projected number of job openings in specific occupational areas. It was concluded that nearly 60 percent of job openings…

A qualitative case study approach was used to identify the psychosocial effects of the high-fidelity, virtual reality simulation provided in the college-level air traffic control (ATC) training program offered at the Minnesota Air Traffic Control Training Center and to evaluate the applicability of virtual reality to academic/training situations.…

In an overall plan to assess institutional effectiveness, Johnson County Community College (JCCC) in Kansas conducts annual follow-up studies of students who completed career programs during the previous academic year, and also surveys employers of those completers. In fall 1993, surveys were mailed to 768 career program completers, including…

In 1991, the Task Force on Cooperative Education undertook a study regarding improvement of the cooperative education (CE) system in the United States. The first stage of the project entailed a mail survey of approximately 1,300 selected cooperative and professional educators, cooperative employees, and university state councils to determine…

This study used a total quality management (TQM) approach to evaluate the perceived computer competency needs of students at the University of Wisconsin-Stout by surveying students (who were asked which of a list of competencies they had), administrators, alumni, and employers (who were asked which competencies they used or expected in employees).…

In 1991, the Washington State Board for Community College Education conducted a study to determine the strengths and shortcomings of Washington community colleges' efforts to provide upgrading and retraining for employed workers. Data were derived from four separate studies conducted in 1990, including a survey of 1,151 employed students at eight…

The Youth Work Skills Program provided basic skills remediation, support services, and subsidized or unsubsidized work placement to out-of-school, economically disadvantaged youth aged 16-21 with demonstrated reading scores at or below the fifth-grade level. The program had three phases: basic education/vocational and career exploration, basic…

During the 1992-1993 school year, vocational/occupational education in Hawaii took place primarily at 39 secondary schools, 7 community colleges, and the Employment Training Center. Training was provided in the following generic skill areas: agriculture/aquaculture, business, construction, electrical/electronic, technical/graphic, mechanical, and…

This document describes the essential elements of jobs for the Future's (JFF) four-state work force preparation policy proces. It begins with a brief outline of the following five steps: (1) use information to clarify necessary action; (2) create regional and community forums; (3) educate and empower the citizenry; (4) assess employer practices…

A program is being conducted by New Hampshire Vocational-Technical College in partnership with Sanders Associates, Inc., a rapidly growing electronics company, to retrain Sanders employees as electronic technicians. The program, requiring 720 hours and taking 13 months to complete, allows students to acquire more than half the credits needed for…

From a national perspective, cooperative vocational education is becoming increasingly important. As the country changes from a manufacturing to a service economy, many traditional jobs are being eliminated, while new jobs are being created, especially in the information field. In order to prepare employees for these jobs, a partnership between…

A study examined the use of office technology and the changing role of the management supportive staff in the modern office. During the study, the researcher conducted prearranged, one-hour personal interviews with individuals responsible for supervising day-to-day activities of management supportive staff at 50 companies in 16 sites. The…

The Michigan Student Information System (MiSIS) is the student flow component of the Michigan Community College Occupational Education Evaluation System (MCCOEES), a comprehensive state-wide system for evaluating occupational education. This manual provides comprehensive guidelines for collecting local management information for program and…