Apprenticeship came to Australia from England with the establishment of the colony of New South Wales in 1788. By the end of the 19th century, apprenticeship was well recognized throughout all the states, which retained responsibility for its regulation and administration after federation. A common provision in states' apprenticeship legislation…

A study examined key determinants of apprentice and trainee employment in small and medium-sized enterprises that play an increasing role in providing employment-based training in Australia. It used unit record data from four waves of the Australian Bureau of Statistics business growth and performance surveys 1994-95 to 1997-98, which sent…

The relationship between employee ownership, motivation, and productivity was explored. The main data collection activities were as follows: (1) a literature review; (2) interviews with management and employees from 10 selected companies across the United Kingdom; (3) surveys of ICOM (the federation of worker cooperatives) member companies and…

This document reports on three focus groups comprised of state officials, local practitioners and supporters, and researchers who were convened to provide input on strategies for assessing and validating the effects of tech prep. Part I provides a brief summary of the groups' discussions, including major points and broad themes in these four topic…

A study was undertaken in Florida to examine the impact of the state universities on the state's workforce, using data sources from a follow-up program called the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program, which uses data from the unemployment insurance wage database, federal employment databases, continuing education data at…

Seventeen small and mid-sized employers from Annie E. Casey Foundation Jobs Initiative sites addressed the challenges of recruiting, retaining, and promoting frontline workers. Employers shared collaboration experiences with Jobs Initiatives sites to develop effective, efficient strategies to prepare and support low-income residents. Firms relied…

Education and training in the workplace are quickly becoming survival tools for most organizations because their operating environments change constantly. Traditionally, many employers have looked externally to employ individuals with specific skills who can adapt to changing products and processes. Upgrading the skills of present employees was…

Australia's construction industry employs nearly 600,000 workers, over 7% of total national employment. The industry is heavily dominated by males (nearly 88%) and full-time workers (86%). Much of the work in this industry involves subcontracting and is cyclical. Construction employers provided much less structured training than the average…

Nearly 590,000 persons are employed in education in Australia, two-thirds of whom are women. One-third of education jobs are part time, and 40% of the work force is over age 45, suggesting that labor shortages may emerge in the next decade. As would be expected, this sector employs more persons with bachelor's and higher degrees than any other…

Australia's finance and insurance industry is among the 5 industry divisions in which females outnumber males. Women's share of industry jobs has risen from 51% to 55% in the last decade. However, there is a pronounced gap in earnings between male and female workers. Employers expressed below-average satisfaction with vocational education and…

In Australia, the health and community services industry is the nation's fourth largest, and employment has grown by 39% since 1987, almost twice as much as the labor force as a whole. The industry is the most female dominated in Australia (77%) and the second-largest source of jobs for women. Thirty-eight percent of jobs in the sector are part…

The impact of hiring temporary workers during the tight labor markets of the 1990s was examined through case studies of six hospitals and five automobile plants. The hospitals varied in size from 450 to 6,000 employees. The auto suppliers included unionized and nonunionized small and large companies. The case studies included extensive interviews…

With greater demands being placed on postsecondary education as employers report that graduates have inadequate skills, interest has been generated in assessing student academic achievement in reliable and valid ways. A descriptive case study was used to outline the process that has been developed to identify and implement program outcomes for 55…

Trends in college student mobility to/from the Netherlands are examined, and specific themes are discussed in the context of public policy: recognition periods of study abroad; teaching/studying of English as a Second Language; personal learning styles in a new environment; quality assurance; employer evaluation of study abroad experience; and…

Structured interviews with 19 leaders and potential employers in health- and human-services fields elicited information about the knowledge, skills, and attitudes sought in master's in social work (MSW) graduates. Commonly desired characteristics were knowledge of research processes, writing and communication skills, critical thinking skills, and…