Using human capital theory, rate of return from apprenticeships in the metal industry was estimated. Findings showed a sharp increase in apprentice wages in the 1960s-70s contributed to declining apprenticeship opportunities. Significant declines in wages since then suggest that apprentices and government now bear a higher proportion of training…

Recent studies have explored whether employers use educational qualifications as screening device, rather than as measure of acquired human capital. One method for testing a strong version of the screening hypothesis was suggested by Psacharopoulos and applied to British data, with negative conclusions. This paper applies the same "P"…

Ability and achievement test scores of children, many of whose mothers continued schooling between births, show that maternal schooling increases the production of children's human capital and suggest benefits to postponing childbearing. (SK)

Looks at four models of training demand: (1) probability of attending training in the near future; (2) probability of having attended training in the past; (3) probability of being willing to follow multimedia and correspondence courses; and (4) probability of repeating the experience of attending another training course in the near future.…

Formulates a "filter" that enables better understanding of industry's educational needs, using Marxist concepts of capital and labor power. The filter is based on assumptions that employers' needs can be stated, that there are no contradictions within labor power, and that employers' labor needs can be realized through education and…

Examination of transformative discourse in South African worker education 1970-2000 shows early links to emancipatory education; a shift to human capital discourse in the 1990s; and changing understanding of how and where knowledge is produced, the kinds of knowledge valued, the social purpose of education, and the meaning of worker experience for…

Reviews and critiques the ways in which researchers have used both productivity theory and human capital theory in efforts to measure the returns on investments in improving teacher quality. Also discusses strategies for improving investigations of the returns on investments in improving teacher quality. (Author/SLD)

Explores forms of social capital and the relationship between human and social capital. Depicts the relationship between high and low social capital and initial educational attainment, participation in continuing education and training, and participation in nonformal education. (SK)

Interviews with 25 global talent leaders discuss keeping good people and the challenges and emerging practices for retaining employees. Sidebars discuss retention tips and what keeps people on the job. (JOW)

Lifelong learning has been a key theme of New Labour's education policy agenda since 1997, but is a broad and often amorphous concept. This article analyzes New Labour's ideological perspective in this context, outlines the main developments and difficulties, and evaluates the record over the seven years in office. New Labour's policy on lifelong…

Research plays an important role in underpinning a country's economic and social life. Universities are at the centre of the research and human capital generating process. The aim of this paper is to explore the links between research output, research income, academic and non-academic labour and some of the characteristics of Australian…

Rural communities are increasingly being faced with the prospect of accepting facilities characterized as "opportunity-threat," such as facilities that generate, treat, store, or otherwise dispose of hazardous wastes. Such facilities may offer economic gains through jobs and tax revenue, although they may also act as environmental "disamenities."…

Societies are increasingly complex. Change is accelerating and its effects are unknown. Managing uncertainty is a major challenge, to the extent that in economics it is becoming difficult to assess need in terms of human capital requirements. This contrasts with the certainty that there is an increasing need for skills in the knowledge society and…

In this article, the authors discuss the problematic trends affecting New England's human capital. These trends include migration to other states of New England's graduates due to high cost of living; more than 60 percent of college dropouts; and the decision of most companies to outsource jobs in India and other countries.

Migration from and to depopulating areas is related to the prospects for rural economic regeneration. The focus is on whether or not migration processes give rise to the necessary human capital required for successful endogenous development. Data from Scottish case studies pertaining to in-, out- and return migrants are analysed. Only by leaving…