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"Skill is laying the foundation for a brighter India. As John Ruskin puts it, "Skill is the unified force of experience, intellect, and passion in their operation." "Nation Building" is a herculean task that involves the government of the land, private and public institutions, industries, organisations, and every citizen there, holding accountability of its development inch by inch. India faces enormous problems in practically every aspect of national life as a young democratic nation with a multilingual, multicultural, and multiethnic population. Poverty, illiteracy, unequal and underdeveloped growth of diverse segments of the country, and insufficient infrastructure in educational and training institutions are all impeding the country's development. The insufficiently skilled workforce is unable to assume greater responsibilities in the development of a better nation. In India, there is now a scarcity of highly trained and skilled educators. Both in India and overseas, there is a considerable need for all levels of skilled labour, including semiskilled, skilled, highly skilled, and highly skilled with specialisation. An estimated 65 percent of workers in India are aged 15 to 59, with an average age of 29 compared to China and other OECD countries. Approximately 335 million people are currently employed in the United States today. They are largely uneducated and have little or no experience. Approximately 59 million of the 70 million predicted to enter the market will be in the 15 to 30 age category. For the development of our country, reskilling, up-skilling, and conceiving and generating ways and means for national and international labour mobility, as well as mitigating the low contribution of women labour force, are all critical. Our youth will be more competent if we place a higher value on skill development. To address all of the concerns of globalisation, knowledge explosion and distribution, and skill development competition, the Indian government has launched a number of initiatives, including Skill India, Digital India, Startup India, and Make in India. Many groups are attempting to improve people's skills. (a) Directorate General of Training (DGT), (b) National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), (c) Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), (d) National Skill Development Agency (NSDA), (e) National Skill Development Fund (NSDF), (f) National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, g) Skill Sector Councils, (h) ICT Academy, and respective State Skill Development Corporations. To impart and upgrade abilities, numerous organisations and universities offer a variety of certificate, diploma, and postgraduate diploma courses. TNOU also provides a variety of skill-based courses. The aspiration and ambition of the Indian Government is to make India the world's "Skill Capital." We/the editors consider it a privilege to have compiled this book titled "Nation Building through Skill Development," which contains contributions on a wide range of subtopics on various elements of skill development explored by a diverse group of authors from around the world. Choosing the chapters was, indeed, a difficult task. Original papers with less than 10% plagiarism were chosen for publication. For the publication of this book, forty-one essays were chosen. We/the editors would want to express our gratitude to everyone who submitted a chapter. The contributions that were not included in this publication are in no way considered rejects. We/the editors express our gratitude to Prof. Dr. K. Parthasarathy, Vice Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Open University, for entrusting us with this task. We/the editors would also want to express our gratitude to all those kind individuals who have worked tirelessly to bring this book in black and white. [This book was published by Tamil Nadu Open University.]

This completely updated edition of "The Almanac of American Education" helps users understand and compare the quality of education at the national, state, and county levels. Compiled from official U.S. government sources, this book contains historical and current data, insightful analysis, and useful graphs that provide compelling insights into the state of education in America. This edition of "Almanac of American Education" explores for the first time how the COVID-19 pandemic affected education in the United States. It contains new data on virtual schools and virtual school enrollment and characteristics of the twenty largest school districts in each state. The "Almanac" provides national coverage of school enrollment and educational attainment, looking at American education from a variety of different angles. It is organized into three sections: Part A--National Education Statistics; Part B--Region and State Education Statistics; and Part C--County Education Statistics. The "Almanac's" contents and coverage allow users to answer--and ask--important questions about education, including: (1) What are the nationwide trends in earnings by educational attainment level?; (2) Is the earnings gap between high school graduates and college graduates growing or shrinking?; (3) What is the average cost to attend college?; (4) Which states have the highest and lowest high school dropout rates?; (5) How do unemployment rates differ by educational attainment?; and (6) What is the correlation between family income and kindergarten and preschool enrollment? [For the 13th edition, see ED616885.]

This completely updated edition of "The Almanac of American Education" helps users understand and compare the quality of education at the national, state, and county levels. Compiled from official U.S. government sources, this book contains historical and current data, insightful analysis, and useful graphs that provide compelling insights into the state of education in America. The "Almanac" provides national coverage of school enrollment and educational attainment, looking at American education from a variety of different angles. It is organized into three sections: Part A--National Education Statistics; Part B--Region and State Education Statistics; and Part C--County Education Statistics. [For the 12th Edition, see ED610380.]

Student wellbeing is foundational to academic success. One recent survey of postsecondary educators found that nearly 80 percent believed emotional wellbeing is a "very" or "extremely" important factor in student success. Studies have found the dropout rates for students with a diagnosed mental health problem range from 43 percent to as high as 86 percent. While dealing with stress is a normal part of life, for some students, stress can adversely affect their physical, emotional, and psychological health, particularly given that adolescence and early adulthood are when most mental illnesses are first manifested. In addition to students who may develop mental health challenges during their time in postsecondary education, many students arrive on campus with a mental health problem or having experienced significant trauma in their lives, which can also negatively affect physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing. The nation's institutions of higher education are seeing increasing levels of mental illness, substance use and other forms of emotional distress among their students. Some of the problematic trends have been ongoing for decades. Some have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic consequences. Some are the result of long-festering systemic racism in almost every sphere of American life that are becoming more widely acknowledged throughout society and must, at last, be addressed. "Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education" lays out a variety of possible strategies and approaches to meet increasing demand for mental health and substance use services, based on the available evidence on the nature of the issues and what works in various situations. The recommendations of this report will support the delivery of mental health and wellness services by the nation's institutions of higher education. [Contributors include Policy and Global Affairs; Health and Medicine Division; and Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in STEMM Undergraduate and Graduate Education.]

This completely updated edition of "The Almanac of American Education" helps users understand and compare the quality of education at the national, state, and county levels. Compiled from official U.S. government sources, this book contains historical and current data, insightful analysis, and useful graphs that provide compelling insights into the state of education in America. "The Almanac" provides national coverage of school enrollment and educational attainment, looking at American education from a variety of different angles. It is organized into three sections: Part A--National Education Statistics; Part B--Region and State Education Statistics; and Part C--County Education Statistics. "The Almanac's" contents and coverage allow users to answer--and ask--important questions about education, including: (1) What are the nationwide trends in earnings by educational attainment level?; (2) Is the earnings gap between high school graduates and college graduates growing or shrinking?; (3) What is the average cost to attend college?; (4) Which states have the highest and lowest high school dropout rates?; (5) How do unemployment rates differ by educational attainment?; and (6) What is the correlation between family income and kindergarten and preschool enrollment? [For the 11th Edition, see ED596452.]

This completely updated edition of "The Almanac of American Education" helps users understand and compare the quality of education at the national, state, and county levels. Compiled from official U.S. government sources, this book contains historical and current data, insightful analysis, and useful graphs that provide compelling insights into the state of education in America. The "Almanac" provides national coverage of school enrollment and educational attainment, looking at American education from a variety of different angles. It is organized into three sections: Part A--National Education Statistics; Part B--Region and State Education Statistics; and Part C--County Education Statistics. The "Almanac's" contents and coverage allow users to answer--and ask--important questions about education, including: (1) What are the nationwide trends in earnings by educational attainment level?; (2) Is the earnings gap between high school graduates and college graduates growing or shrinking?; (3) What is the average cost to attend college?; (4) Which states have the highest and lowest high school dropout rates?; (5) How do unemployment rates differ by educational attainment?; and (6) What is the correlation between family income and kindergarten and preschool enrollment? [For the Tenth Edition, see ED585615].

Half a million higher education graduates enter the labour market every year in Mexico. While their labour market outcomes are considerably better on average than those of upper secondary education graduates, some higher education graduates face periods of inactivity and unemployment. Many graduates who find work end up being over-qualified or working in the informal sector. This report finds that the Mexican higher education system needs to be better aligned with the labour market to help students develop the skills employers seek. Students need better support to succeed in their higher education studies and develop labour market relevant skills, which will help facilitate their achievement of good outcomes in the workforce. This calls for a comprehensive whole-of-government approach and the involvement of all higher education stakeholders. The report proposes a set of policy recommendations to address these issues and help Mexican higher education graduates achieve better outcomes in the labour market. The report was developed as part of the OECD Enhancing Higher Education System Performance project and is a companion to the OECD report, The Future of Mexican Higher Education: Promoting Quality and Equity, which focuses on broader issues in higher education, including governance, funding, quality and equity, as well as two key sectors of higher education: teacher education colleges and professional and technical institutions. [For the companion, see ED592819.]

People aged 55 and older are one of the fastest growing demographic groups in much of the developed world. While they have seen tremendous changes in technology and everyday living over their lifetime, some of the biggest societal changes are those that they themselves are helping to make. In the U.S., these mature individuals can expect to live several decades beyond the traditional retirement age of 65-67, and they will likely be able to do so in much better health compared to earlier generations. While a percentage of these individuals will choose full-time retirement in their mid-sixties, a large and growing percentage will want or need to have paid work. Within this group are very diverse interests and needs. Some mature workers will want to stay in their current jobs as long as possible, while others may want to migrate to a different kind of job as a way to transition to full-time retirement (for example, they may wish to find a job with shorter hours, less stress, or fewer physical demands). Some mature workers may want to find something to do in this next stage of their work lives that is completely different than anything they have done in the past. Some in pursuit of such "encore careers" may want anything new, while others may seek to do something they have always dreamed of or something that gives back to the community. Still other mature workers may find that their lifelong jobs have disappeared. Facing unexpected unemployment, they will need to find a replacement job that may be in another industry. In 2009, the U.S. Department of Labor supported a three-year Aging Worker Initiative (AWI). This initiative acknowledged the importance of mature workers to the economy and the need to provide them with a different kind of help in preparing for new jobs and careers. The AWI funded 10 sites to test new models of serving mature workers. Over the course of this three-year initiative, the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) has provided technical assistance to these sites under a grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies. The Council on Competitiveness assisted as well during the first two years of the initiative. The experiences of the 10 sites have underscored for us the importance of supporting the labor force participation of mature individuals in a deliberate way. As this initiative comes to a close, CAEL invited leading experts on the mature workforce to help us showcase the work of the AWI grantees alongside their own research findings. Collectively, the papers commissioned for this publication address the factors that are causing more mature individuals to continue working, the range of occupations currently held by mature workers, the value of the mature workforce to our economy, the factors that most influence employer retention and hiring as they face changing workforce demographics, the difficulties workers face as they make often irreversible decisions about when to retire, and public sector strategies that support mature workers.

Research messages 2010 is a collection of summaries of research projects published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). The summaries are clustered under five broad themes used by NCVER to organise its research and analysis: Industry and employers; Students and individuals; Teaching and learning: VET system; and VET in context. Research messages 2010 also has an overview essay that captures the themes and highlights from the research for the year. This paper presents the following summaries: (1) Developing the childcare workforce: understanding "fight" or "flight" amongst workers (Tanya Bretherton); (2) Work, skills and training in the Australian red meat processing sector (Kent Norton and Mike Rafferty); (3) The role of VET in alcohol and other drugs workforce development (Ken Pidd, Ann Roche, and Amanda Carne); (4) What would it take? Employer perspectives on employing people with a disability (Peter Waterhouse, Helen Kimberley, Pam Jonas, and John Glover); (5) Responding to changing skill demands: training packages and accredited courses (Josie Misko); (6) Where tradies work: a regional analysis of the labour market for tradespeople (Phil Lewis and Michael Corliss); (7) Does support for VET reduce employee churn? A case study in local government (Kath Curry); (8) Against the odds: influences on the post-school success of "low performers" (Sue Thomson and Kylie Hillman); (9) Returns from education: an occupational status approach (Jung-Sook Lee); (10) Breaking down the barriers: strategies to assist apprentices with a learning disability (Sandra Cotton); (11) Education and happiness in the school-to-work transition (Alfred M. Dockery); (12) The impact of wages on the probability of completing an apprenticeship or traineeship (Tom Karmel and Peter Mlotkowski); (13) Post-school education and labour force participation in Canada and Australia (Siobhan Austen and Fiona MacPhail); (14) The role of vocational education and training in the labour market outcomes of people with disabilities (Cain Polidano and Kostas Mavromaras); (15) Who works beyond the "standard" retirement age and why? (Chris Ryan and Mathias Sinning); (16) Analysis of private returns to vocational education and training (Wang-Sheng Lee and Michael Coelli); (17) Measures of student success: can we predict module-completion rates? (Jeanette Learned); (18) Using rubrics to support graded assessment in a competency-based environment (Sherridan Maxwell); (19) Blind date: an exploration for potential partnerships between literacy teachers and community service workers (Ann Leske); (20) Practitioner expectations and experiences with the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA40104) (Berwyn Clayton, Dave Meyers, Andrea Bateman, and Robert Bluer); (21) Training and assessment (TAA40104) in community providers in New South Wales: participant intentions and outcomes (Ruth Walker); (22) Approaches to research priorities for policy: a comparative study (Diana Wilkinson); (23) The future of VET: a medley of views (Francesca Beddie and Penelope Curtin [Editors]); (24) The effectiveness of the traineeship model (Tom Karmel, Davinia Blomberg, and Monika Vnuk); (25) How reasons for not completing apprenticeships and traineeships change with duration (Tom Karmel and Peter Mlotkowski); (26) Building capability in vocational education and training providers: the TAFE cut (Hugh Guthrie and Berwyn Clayton); (27) Expanding national vocational education and training statistical collections: private provider engagement (Andrew C. Smith, Rosemary Potter, and Peter J. Smith); (28) An investigation of TAFE efficiency (Peter Fieger, Tom Karmel, and John Stanwick); (29) A short history of initial VET teacher training (Hugh Guthrie); (30) Professional development in the vocational education and training workforce (Hugh Guthrie); (31) Vocational education and training workforce data 2008: a compendium (Hugh Guthrie [Editor]); (32) Dustman, milliner and watchcase maker: skilling Australia (Francesca Beddie); (33) Crediting vocational education and training for learner mobility (Sandra Walls and John Pardy); (34) Mixed-sector tertiary education: implications for self-accrediting and other higher education institutions (Gavin Moodie); (35) Annual transitions between labour market states for young Australians (Hielke Buddelmeyer and Gary Marks); (36) The incidence and wage effects of overskilling among employed VET graduates (Kostas Mavromaras, Seamus McGuiness, and Yin King Fok); (37) The role of VET in preventing the scarring effect of youth joblessness (Hielke Buddelmeyer and Nicolas Herault); and (38) Skilling and reskilling for our (greener) future (Tom Karmel).

The "Almanac of American Education" helps users understand and compare the quality of education at the national, state, and county levels. Compiled from official U.S. government sources, the book contains historical and current data, insightful analysis, and useful graphs that provide compelling insights into the state of education in America. The "Almanac" provides national coverage of school enrollment and educational attainment, looking at American education from a variety of different angles. It is organized into three sections: Part A--National Education Statistics; Part B--Region and State Education Statistics; and Part C--County Education Statistics. "The Almanac's" contents and coverage allow users to answer--and ask--important questions about education, including: (1) What are the nationwide trends in earnings by educational attainment level?; (2) Is the earnings gap between high school graduates and college graduates growing or shrinking?; (3) What is the average cost to attend college?; (4) Which states have the highest and lowest high school dropout rates?; (5) How do unemployment rates differ by educational attainment?; and (6) What is the correlation between family income and kindergarten and preschool enrollment? [For the Ninth Edition, see ED585614.]

This report identifies effective strategies to tackle skills imbalances in France. It provides an assessment of practices and policies in the following areas: the collection and use of information on skill needs to foster a better alignment of skills acquisitions with labour market needs; policies stimulating skills demand and skills use; policies related to general and professional education and training; policies to help the unemployed develop the right skills and better match them to jobs; career guidance initiatives; and policies facilitating the entry of migrants with skills that are in demand. The assessment is based on country visits, desk research and data analysis conducted by the OECD secretariat. The table of contents includes: (1) Foreword; (2) Acronyms and Abbreviations; (3) Summary and Key Recommendations; (4) Key Drivers of Skills Demand and Supply in France; (5) Skills Assessment and Anticipation System in France; (6) Policies Addressing Skills Imbalances in France; and (7) Challenges and Recommendations for France.

These three volumes comprise the background publication of the second report on vocational education and training (VET) research in Europe. The two parts of Volume 1 contain 10 papers; Volume 2 contains 11 papers in two parts; and there are 10 papers in the two parts and annex of Volume 3. In Volume 1 are the following: "Steering, Networking, and Profiles of Professionals in VET" (Lassnigg); "Financing VET" (Green et al.); "How to Improve the Standing of Vocational Compared to General Education" (Lasonen, Manning); "Certification and Legibility of Competence" (Bouder et al.); "Changing Institutional and Political Role of Nonformal Learning" (Bjornavold); "Problems Raised by the Changing Role of Trainers in a European Context" (Brugia, de Blignieres); "Lifelong Learning" (Cheallaigh); "Training for New Jobs" (Onstenk); "Vocational Training and Innovative Practices in the Environmental Sector" (Loos); and "Company-Based Learning in the Context of New Forms of Learning and Differentiated Training Paths" (Dehnbostel, Dybowski). Volume 2 contains these papers: "Globalization, Division of Labor, and Training Needs from a Company View" (Dejonckheere, Van Hootegem); "Training, Mobility, and Regulation of the Wage Relationship" (Hanchane); "Employment and Training Practices of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises" (Trouve); "Human Resource Development in Europe" (Nyhan); "Reporting on Human Capital" (Westphalen); "Vocational Training Research on the Basis of Enterprise Surveys" (Bellmann); "Skills Market" (Planas et al.); "Economic Performance of Education and Training" (Barrett); "Unemployment and Skills from a Dynamic Perspective" (Bollens); "Overqualification" (Buchel); and "Forecasting Skill Requirements at National and Company Levels" (Wilson). Volume 3 and its Annex contain these papers: "Training and Individual Performance" (Pfeiffer); "Effect of National Institutional Differences on Education/Training to Work Transitions in Europe" (Hannan et al.); "Education and Labor Market Change" (Hannan, Werquin); "Selection, Social Exclusion, and Training Offers for Target Groups" (Vranken, Frans); "Training and Employment Perspectives for Lower Qualified People" (Brandsma); "Research on VET at the Crossroads of Transition in Central and Eastern Europe" (Strietska-Ilina); "VET Research in Other European and Non-European Countries" (Lauterbach et al.); "Research on VET in the Current Research Framework of the European Commission" (Van den Brande); "Synopsis of Selected VET-Related Projects Undertaken in the Framework of the Leonardo da Vinci I Program"; and "Targeted Socioeconomic Research." (YLB)

This document contains nine papers devoted to the labor market problems faced by out-of-school and other disadvantaged young people in the United States and policy options and strategies for addressing those problems. The papers update the data on out-of-school young adults, review the lessons learned from past youth programs and policies, identify seven guiding principles for policy and practice in the youth field, and detail a model for creating a community-wide system built on collaborative partnerships among all relevant stakeholders. The following papers are included: "Confronting the Youth Demographic Challenge: Labor Market Prospects for Out-of-School Young Adults" (Andrew Sum, Neeta Fogg, Garth Mangum); "Human Capital Investments by People Matter" (Stephen L. Mangum, Judith W. Tansky); "High Stakes Testing: Opportunities and Risks for Students of Color, English-Language Learners, and Students with Disabilities" (Jay P. Heubert); "Using Educational Resources for Out-of-School Youth" (David Gruber); "Out of School and Unemployed: Principles for More Effective Policy and Programs" (Gary Walker); "The Power of Youth Popular Culture" (Ed de Jesus); "The Declaration of Inter-dependence" (Young Leaders Council, National Alumni Council of the YouthBuild USA Affiliated Network); "Winning Support" (Dorothy Stoneman); and "Building a System to Serve Out-of-School Youth" (Marion Pines, William J. Spring). One paper contains a substantial bibliography. (MN)

This working paper assembles chapters written by onsite researchers about program implementation in each of seven cities included in the Job-Plus Community Revitalization Initiative for Public Housing Families. This report, which provides a "snapshot" of each site, documents the nature and extent of implementation as of that point in time. Chapter 1 describes the Jobs-Plus model and provides an overview of the report. Each of the remaining seven chapters describes the nature and extent of implementation of the Jobs-Plus program in a particular site. Key sections of each chapter are program highlights; program infrastructure (staffing, facilities); program flow (outreach and enrollment, orientation, assessment, job search and job club, job development, education and training, job retention and advancement); and financial incentives to work, and community support for work. The sites are "Jobs-Plus in Baltimore" (Linda Kaljee); "Jobs-Plus in Chattanooga" (Linda Persse); "Jobs-Plus in Cleveland" (Linda Persse); "Jobs-Plus in Dayton" (Crystal Dunson, Theresa Myadze); "Jobs-Plus in Los Angeles" (Earl Johnson et al.); "Jobs-Plus in St. Paul" (Sandy Gerber); and "Jobs-Plus in Seattle" (Edward B. Liebow, Carolina Katz). (YLB)

Three presentations are provided from Symposium 37, Workforce Development, of the Academy of Human Resource Development (HRD) 2000 Conference Proceedings. "Unemployment and Low-Literacy among Welfare Recipients: Continuum of Literacy Program Models" (Larry G. Martin) presents a continuum of four types of literacy programs--academic, situated context/cognition, integrated literacy-soft skills, and integrated literacy-occupational skills. It matches them with five employment tiers of welfare recipients: unsubsidized employed, subsidized employed, subsidized unemployed (community service jobs), subsidized unemployed (transitions), and unsubsidized unemployed (homeless). "The Relationship between Learning Transfer System Perceptions and Basic Workplace Skills" (Reid A. Bates, Elwood F. Holton III) reports a study that examined variation in individual level learning transfer system perceptions associated with job-related basic skill differences and found significant differences for employees with math and reading skill levels required for their jobs versus those without. "Survey Evidence from College-Bound High School Graduates: Implications for School-to-Work [STW] and Human Resource Development" (Richard L. Hannah) describes early work patterns, reasons for working, and implications in the context of STW literature and the rethinking of evaluative criteria with respect to HRD. The papers contain reference sections. (YLB)

This book contains nine chapters, by various authors, containing research and policy perspectives on issues of mutual obligation between teachers and students, especially in Australia. The following are included: (1) "Researching Literacy, Language, and Numeracy and Mutual Obligation: An Introduction to Some Issues" (Sheilagh Kelly and Liz Campbell); (2) "Voices of the Unemployed" (Patrick Gurr); (3) "The All-Seeing Eye: A Stakeholder Narrative of Applying for the Dole" (Michael Chin); (4) "Mutual Obligation: How to Survive and Enjoy the Experience" (Sue Frischke); (5) "Stakeholders' Experiences of Mutual Obligation" (Pauline O'Maley); (6) "LANT (Literacy and Numeracy Training) and the Country Learner: A City Slicker's Perspective" (John Stone); (7) "Mutual Obligation: Who's Paying? (Philippa Granwal); (8) "Mandatory Participation in Literacy/Numeracy Programs for Unemployed Young Australians: Whose Interests Are Served?" (Sarah Lindfield-Ide); and (9) "Researching Mutual Obligation and Literacy, Language, and Numeracy: What Does This Research Tell Us? (Sheilagh Kelly and Liz Campbell). An appendix contains a questionnaire sent to providers and participants asking about mutual obligation; and a bibliography lists 155 references. (KC)

Data from two surveys were gathered to inform recommendations on how to increase women prisoners' employability upon release in Great Britain. The first survey focused on 567 inmates' work experience and training prior to and during incarceration, as well as their expectations for life outside prison. About 33% of the women worked immediately before imprisonment. Those who had faced problems in securing employment said the problems were caused by lack of qualifications, criminal record, or childcare dilemmas. Two-fifths considered themselves to possess a work skill and/or an educational or vocational qualification. During confinement almost all the women held at least one job. About half believed their work helped them to develop new skills, although only one-third said it would enable them to find a job upon release. Younger women and those serving longer sentences were more likely to take training or education classes. The majority of prisoners anticipated being unemployed after release and facing personal problems. A post-prison survey of 178 of the original respondents revealed that 37% found work subsequent to release. Personal problems were reported by 90%, with about half stating they had received inadequate support from the prison upon release. The authors concluded there is a need for more help in planning for release, including re-integration, social skills, housing, finding work, arranging benefits, and re-establishing family bonds. (Contains 70 tables.) (AJ)

This book examines the experiences of 32 men participating in Parents' Fair Share (PFS), which was designed to help them get better jobs, pay child support, and become more involved with their children. All participants were low-income, noncustodial fathers who were not paying court mandated child support. Most were African American or Latino and lived in inner city, low-income neighborhoods. Data came from semi-structured interviews, informal conversations, and observations. Participants offered their opinions of and reactions to PFS and discussed whether it helped them become consistent child support payers. They also discussed their lives outside of PFS, articulating obstacles encountered when trying to become more active parents. Eight appendixes present sample data and research methodology; maps; lists and descriptions of peer support sessions; family tree; personal shields; profiles of two participants deciding how to use their money; profiles of selected participants; questions for noncustodial parents in PFS; and profile of interviewees. (Contains 60 references.) (SM)

"Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators" is the authoritative source for information on the state of education around the world. With more than 125 charts and 145 tables included in the publication and much more data available on the educational database, "Education at a Glance 2017" provides key information on the output of educational institutions; the impact of learning across countries; the financial and human resources invested in education; access, participation and progression in education; and the learning environment and organisation of schools. The 2017 edition presents a new focus on fields of study, investigating both trends in enrolment at upper secondary and tertiary level, student mobility, and labour market outcomes of the qualifications obtained in these fields. The publication also introduces for the first time a full chapter dedicated to the Sustainable Development Goals, providing an assessment of where OECD and partner countries stand on their way to meeting the SDG targets. Finally, two new indicators are developed and analysed in the context of participation and progress in education: an indicator on the completion rate of upper secondary students and an indicator on admission processes to higher education. The report covers all 35 OECD countries and a number of partner countries (Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Indonesia, Lithuania, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa). The Excel™ spreadsheets used to create the tables and charts in "Education at a Glance" are available via the StatLinks provided throughout the publication. [For "Education at a Glance 2016: OECD Indicators," see ED569139.]

The "Almanac of American Education" helps users understand and compare the quality of education at the national, state, and county levels. Compiled from official U.S. government sources, the book contains historical and current data, insightful analysis, and useful graphs that provide compelling insights into the state of education in America. The "Almanac" provides national coverage of school enrollment and educational attainment, looking at American education from a variety of different angles. It is organized into three sections: Part A--National Education Statistics; Part B--Region and State Education Statistics; and Part C--County Education Statistics. "The Almanac's" contents and coverage allow users to answer--and ask--important questions about education, including: (1) What are the nationwide trends in earnings by educational attainment level?; (2) Is the earnings gap between high school graduates and college graduates growing or shrinking?; (3) What is the average cost to attend college?; (4) Which states have the highest and lowest high school dropout rates?; (5) How do unemployment rates differ by educational attainment?; and (6) What is the correlation between family income and kindergarten and preschool enrollment? [For the Eighth Edition, see ED573226.]

The impact of one-stop career centers on the U.S. Employment Service (ES) program was examined through case studies of one-stop initiatives in the following states: Georgia; Ohio; California; Iowa; Oregon; Massachusetts; Texas; Utah; and Wisconsin. Of the nine case study states, only Georgia had not begun instituting a one-stop career center system as of 1997. Ohio, California, Massachusetts, and Oregon were using various forms of interagency agreements to foster cooperation of ES with job training and other agencies at one-stops. Iowa, Utah, Wisconsin, and Texas had created new consolidated agencies. The following were among the 17 conclusions and suggestions emerging from the study: (1) state legislation should continue to encourage workforce service agency consolidation; (2) the ES must have the lead role in one-stop centers; (3) however state agencies are organized, one-stops should provide integrated services for the greatest number of programs possible; (4) strategies to involve employers in state workforce development activities should be emphasized; and (5) the ES's role in ensuring prompt reemployment of unemployment insurance recipients needs continued emphasis. (A table detailing selected ES productivity and funding measures in the nine case study states and nationwide and a discussion of consolidated workforce development agencies are appended.) (MN)

This first annual report by the Dusseldorp Skills Forum on the situation of young Australians provides a national perspective on developments that have affected 15-19 year olds during the 1990s. An overview chapter, "Youth: The Rhetoric and the Reality of the 1990s" (Richard Sweet), addresses these topics: education-work transition; the labor market and youth; vocational education and training and youth; national targets; and building bridges from insecure to secure employment. "Rapporteur's Observations" (Meredith Edwards) addresses issues generally, some concerns expressed, and some possible policy directions. "The Labor Market for Young Australians" (Mark Wooden) provides a statistical overview of the labor market for teenagers drawing primarily on labor force survey data."School Participation, Retention, and Outcomes" (John Ainley) addresses the decline in school completion, characteristics of secondary school completers, and destinations of school leavers. "Young People's Participation in and Outcomes from Vocational Education" (Chris Robinson, Katrina Ball) offers a profile of 15-19 year olds in the vocational education sector from 1990-96 and of apprentices and trainees and describes factors affecting uptake of apprenticeships and traineeships. "Young Peoples' Participation in Higher Education" (Simon Marginson) addresses changes in enrollments and participation rates. "Young People and Labor Market Disadvantage: The Situation of Young People Not in Education or Full-Time Work" (Alison McClelland, Helen MacDonald, Fiona MacDonald) examines the young people engaged in marginal activities who may face limited choices about their job and income situation in the future. "Youth Incomes" (John Landt, Phillip Scott) examines incomes of 15-19 year olds in 1994-95, using the most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics survey. "Expenditure on Education and Training: Estimates by Sector and Course" (Gerald Burke) provides an overview of aggregate and sector expenditures. Three brief commentaries represent an initial response from key organizations in the community sector, labor movement, and business to the seven papers. An executive summary is attached. (YLB)

This document contains papers from an international project in which models of financing the continuing vocational training (CVT) in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway were identified and examined. The following are among the papers included: "Important Results of the LEONARDO-Project (contributions by all project-partners)"; "Structure and Development of the Project" (D. Moraal); "Training Leave as a Precondition for an Integrated Labour Market and Qualification Policy" (D. Moraal); "The Role of the Social Partners and the State Authorities in Financing the Continuing Vocational Training Measures for the Employed and Unemployed" (U. Grunewald); "The Experiences of a Staff Member of the 'Centre for Vocational Training and Promotion of Economic Performance' with Three Workshops, Where Questions of Financing the Continuing Vocational Training Were Discussed" (T. Hintz); "The Experiences of the Representatives of the 'Development Agency Agriculture and Forestry' with Two Workshops, Where Questions of Financing the Continuing Vocational Training Were Discussed" (T. Hentschel, B. Riemer); "Job-Rotation--A New Instrument for the Employment and Qualification Policies in Germany" (B. Uhrig); "Reflections and Open Questions--Inspired by the Danish Experiences with the Financing of the Continuing Vocational Training for Employed and Unemployed" (J.H. Soerensen); "Historical Review of a Case, Which Used Job-Rotation in the Enterprise-'Fibertex'" (J.H. Soerensen); "Proposal for a Reform of the General and Continuing Vocational Training of Adults in Norway" (I. Eidskrem); "Elements of the Norwegian Labour Market Politics" (S. Festoe); "Conclusions--Considerations and Points for the Further Discussion" (B. Hovels, G. Kraayvanger); "Experiences of a Representative of the Dutch OVP-Fund, with Three Workshops, Where Questions of Financing the Continuing Vocational Training Were Discussed" (T. Seip); "Experiences of a Representative of the Dutch OOM-Fund with Three Workshops, Where Questions of Financing the Continuing Vocational Training Were Discussed" (P. Den Hollander); "Description of the National Financing System of CVT and FTU in Germany" (U. Grunewald, D. Moraal); "The Center for Vocational Training and Promotion of Economic Performance Simmerath" (U. Grunewald, T. Hintz); "Financing Model of the Development Agency for Agriculture and Forestry (FLF)/Qualification Fund for Agriculture and Forestry (QLF)" (T. Hentschel); "Description of the National Financing System of CVT and FTU in Denmark" (K. Olesen); "Financing Models of CVT and FTU in Denmark" (K. Olesen); "Description of the National Financing System of CVT and FTU in Norway" (I. Eidskrem); "National Financing System of CVT and FTU in the Netherlands" (B. Hovels, G. Kraayvanger); and "Financing Models of CVT and FTU in the Netherlands" (W. Boonstra, B. Hovels, G. Kraayvanger). (Forty tables/figures are included.) (MN)

This book contains 13 papers examining topical issues in vocational education and training (VET) in Victoria, Australia. The following papers are included: "Vocational Education and Schooling: The Changing Scene" (Jane Kenway, Sue Willis, Peter Watkins, Karen Tregenza); "The Enterprise Approach" (James Mulraney); "VET Programs at James Harrison College" (John Bromilow); "'Great Organisations Dream Great Dreams" (David Gallagher); "An Investigation into the Impact of Mentoring Unemployment" (Barbara Hammond); "Issues Confronting Vocational Education in Victorian Schools in the Late 1990s" (Karen Tregenza, Jane Kenway, Peter Watkins); "Participant Pathways and Outcomes in Vocational Education and Training: 1992-95" (Peter Dwyer, Aramiha Harwood, Geoff Poynter, Johanna Wyn); "Paths to Pathways: Educational Pathways for Educationally Disadvantaged Young People" (Jennifer Angwin, Louise Laskey); "Enhancing Girls' Post School Options through Career and Vocational Education" (Jane Kenway, Sue Willis); "Vocational Education Programs: Managing Risk in a Risk Society" (Peter Watkins); "Reframing the Discourse of Skill" (Nancy S. Jackson); "Learning about Poverty, Disadvantage and Justice" (Basil N. Varghese); and "Spectacle in the Dark: Youth as Transgression, Display, and Repression" (Leslie G. Roman). Individual papers contain references. (MN)

Data from the U.S. Census and more limited surveys aimed at specific artist occupations were used to profile the employment and earnings of four groups of artists in 1970-1990: authors, artists who work with their hands, performing artists, and architects and designers. The following items were examined: evidence of multiple job holding; reliability/consistency of data from various sources; growth of the field; geographic areas where individuals in the field are most likely to live and work; age, sex, and racial patterns in the field; education, employment, and income levels for the field and its various subfields; satisfaction with the field; and challenges facing individuals working in the field. Income and employment levels varied widely both between and within the four occupational groups examined. The numbers of people employed in all the occupations examined increased significantly during the decades examined. In 1989, authors' total earnings averaged $23,335. In 1990, the median income for full-time female painters/craft artists was $18,762. In 1989, actors/directors, dancers, musicians, decorators/designers, and architects had median incomes of $22,000, $8,500, $9,900, $45,873, and $56,773, respectively. In general, women tended to earn less than their male counterparts. (MN)

This book contains 21 papers from the Nordic-Canadian Learning for the Workplace Conference, which was held in Hanasaari, Espoo, Finland in June 1995. The following papers are included: "Introduction to the Nordic-Canadian Learning for the Workplace Conference" (Olli-Pekka Heinonen); "Conference Design and Process" (Diane Abbey-Livingston); "From Training to Workplace Learning: Adult Education and Organizational Learning" (Diane Abbey-Livingston); "Excerpt: Adult Education in Finland" (presented by Jorma Ahola); "Issues of Work Transitions and Training of Older Workers" (Lisa Avedon); "Studying Employability Skills in an Open Learning Environment" (Eija Bergman); "Technology and Learning: Finding the Balance" (Elizabeth J. Burge); "Labour Leadership: The Training Trust Fund Model" (John Cole); "Now that We've Come to School: On the Glorification of Training" (Patrick Flanagan); "Don't Shoot the Messenger: Creativity in Education" (Janice Gillies); "In-Service Training: A New Challenge in Swedish Advanced Further Education" (Margareta Gisselberg); "Industrial Adjustment Services: A Participatory Process for Dealing with Change" (Joakim Hermelin); "Weaving a Masterpiece: New Ways of Living, Learning and Working Together" (Kathleen Howard); "International Recognition of Engineers: The EurEta Register" (Erkki Husu); "An Effective Way to Enhance the Employability of Unemployed and Active Workers: The Joint Employability Program" (Robert Isabelle); "Education-Business Partnerships in Finland" (Tuomo Lahdeniemi); "Information Technology Change Agent" (Bengt J. Lindstrom); "Distance Education at Work" (Betty Rohdin); "Summary: Education, Training and Research in the Information Society: A National Strategy" (presented by Helena Savolainen); "Education for the Sustainable Use of Swedish Forests" (Goran Sjoberg); and "Academic Wisdom and Practical Action" (Pam Whitty). (MN)

Based on a Making Experience Count (MEC) project, this book examines current trends in learning from experience. Chapter 1 discusses key theoretical elements that underpin work in the field of experiential learning and analyzes the contribution of the andragogic approach to adult learning. Chapter 2 offers an alternative model--gynagogy--and broadens the debate to incorporate contradictions that andragogy fails to address. Chapter 3 represents a personal account of the learning process. Chapter 4 describes tutor recruitment and training. Chapter 5 describes the MEC course at Ford Motor Company and examines issues that arise when facilitating personal reflection within a hierarchical and public arena. Chapter 6 is an account of two courses designated as outreach programs. Chapter 7 discusses the specific issues that arise when facilitating MEC within a single-sex framework. Chapter 8 examines work with a group of long-term unemployed persons and highlights the problems that lack of self-esteem bring to the learning process. Chapter 9 assesses the value of assessment of prior experiential learning (APEL) as an admissions tool for entrance to higher education. Chapter 10 relates the story of the Kent APEL Consortium, charts the reasons for its inception, and notes its untimely demise. Chapter 11 discusses problems inherent in accrediting MEC. Chapter 12 describes work within a particular ethnic minority community and introduces the question of the cultural transferability of the MEC process. A 58-item bibliography is appended. (YLB)

The six articles in this issue tackle topics that relate to the role and function of numeracy in adult life. "Reading Comprehension in Written Mathematics Problems" (Sue Wareham) examines the levels of reading ability required of numeracy students and offers strategies to help students with limited reading skills. "Can Ordinary People Do Real Maths?" (Joan O'Hagan) tackles the issue of "real" math through a review of historical, philosophical, and cultural perspectives on the nature of mathematics and considers the consequences for tutors and students. "Numeracy: A Core Skill or Not?" (George Barr) reviews the place of numeracy within recently established core skills frameworks. "Sorting Out Statistics: Confessions of a Numeracy Tutor" (Sarah Oliver) considers the place of statistics in life and in the curriculum. "Learning Contracts in Higher Education: Towards Confidence in Developing Numeracy Skills" (Ian Beveridge, Gordon Weller) describes the development of numeracy support for Access (a program which attracts a lot of single parent mothers, housewives with older children, and non-mainstream groups) and higher education students at Luton College, England. "Effective Provision of Literacy and Numeracy Instruction for Long-Term Unemployed Persons" (Joy Cumming), an article that reviews the provision of employment-related courses in Australia, evaluates the features of good practice in both literacy and numeracy, and considers the most effective approaches in developing numeracy skills. (YLB)

This issues primer is structured around a series of 20 contemporary concerns in the changing world of work and training in Australia in the early 1990s. It is part of the study materials for the one-semester distance education unit, Negotiated Study Program, in the Open Campus Program at Deakin University (Australia). Information on each issue is accompanied by an activity and list of references. The issues are as follows: the politics of workplace reform; education back on the agenda; relevant government reports in the 1980s; award restructuring; skill formation and ideology; the Training Guarantee Levy--a tax or an investment?; cost of training--public vs. private; commercialization of training--those who pay the piper play the tune; relevant government reports in the 1990s; competency-based training; recognition of prior learning; management upskilling; performance appraisal; changing work force patterns; technology, communication, and training; enterprise bargaining and flexible work practices; recession, redundancies, and unemployment; women and training; youth and employment; and jobs in the future. (YLB)

This yearbook contains papers that provide the reader with a general idea of the aspects and issues that interest Nordic researchers today and how they approach these problems. To provide a more uniform picture of the status of adult education in the different Nordic countries, four brief general surveys begin the book: "Adult Education Research in Denmark" (Bjarne Wahlgren); "Adult Education Research in Finland" (Jukka Tuomisto); "Adult Education Research in Norway" (Anna Gullichsen); and "Adult Education Research in Sweden" (Maj Klasson). Papers on Denmark include the following: "Participants' Outcome of Courses for Long-Term Unemployed" (Vibe Aarkrog, Bjarne Wahlgren); "General Qualification of Unskilled and Semi-Skilled Workers" (Knud Illeris); "Problems and Potentials in Danish Adult Education" (Bo Jacobsen); and "Seven Ascertainments of Adult Education" (Kim Jacobsen). Finnish papers are as follows: "Transforming Adult Teaching" (Antti Kauppi); "Framework for Adult Education" (Seppo Kontiainen, Jyri Manninen); "Elements of Teaching Materials in Multiform Instruction" (Kari Nurmi); "Future of Adult Education" (Pirkko Remes); "Quality Circles as a Learning Environment" (Urpo Sarala); and "Development of Trade Union Education and New Challenges" (Jukka Tuomisto). Five articles relate to Norway: "Governing of Knowledge: Case of Work-Related Adult Education and Training" (Jens Bjornavold); "What Role Do Age and Context Play in Self-Regulated Learning" (Tove Dahl); "Survey of Participation in the Municipal and County Municipal Adult Education in Norway during School Year 1990-91" (Bjorn Madsen); "Contribution of Voluntary Organization to Norwegian Adult Education" (Leif Moland); and "Development of Mother Tongue Teachers' Further Education" (Perly Norberg). Papers on Sweden are as follows: "Knowledge and Democracy" (Lars Arvidson, Kjell Rubenson); "Postmodern Learning Process--Composition of Knowledge in New Social Movements" (Bosse Bergstedt); "Adults' Life and Learning" (Lena Borgstrom, Robert Hoghielm); "Research Circle--Some Educational Perspectives" (Lars Holmstrand, Gunilla Harnsten); and "Essence of Teaching Adults--Views of 124 Swedish Teachers in Municipal Adult Education" (Staffan Larsson). Notes on contributors are appended. (YLB)

This book presents the results of a study of the British work camps that were initiated in the 1920s as a result of the political need to reduce unemployment among ex-servicemen and that evolved in 1929 into a national system of residential centers to "recondition" long-term unemployed men by exposing them to hard physical labor. The following aspects of work camps are examined in detail: origins of contemporary public training policy (unemployment and learning through labor, unemployment and social policy, work camps in public memory); work as punishment and Utopia (labor colonies before and after 1918); transformation of training after the First World War (changes in government policy, women wartime workers, veterans, juvenile training); education for imperial and countryside settlement; transference policy and the work camps; life inside the camps (recruitment, government, free time, and placement); women and the domestic paradigm (service and education, Central Committee on Women's Training and Employment, home training centers); protest and resistance; differing approaches to the pedagogy of labor in Canada, Germany, the United States, and elsewhere; and labor in the historiography of adult education. Contains 152 references. (MN)

This report of the work of self-help groups of unemployed black adults in Britain shows how effectively these groups are able to generate employment opportunities for their members and offers recommendations for the further development of such initiatives. Chapter 1 describes setting up the research project to provide information on the efforts being made by black voluntary groups to respond to the training and educational needs of black unemployed people. Chapter 2 addresses the research strategies, including a curriculum development model composed of four interrelated processes: values and needs analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation and monitoring. Chapter 3 covers selection of schemes for detailed inquiry that used the five main objectives and conceptual framework of Watts and Knasel (1985): employability, coping, context, leisure, and opportunity creation. It describes visits to schemes during which information was collected on clients, funding, management and staffing, training and educational provision, needs analysis, monitoring, and evaluation. Chapter 4 offers recommendations regarding support systems, values, management and organization, delivery, evaluation, course design, staffing, and admission strategies. A series of six case studies of the life and work of the groups studied follows. Each case study addresses such areas as management, planning and delivery, links with employers and colleges, staff and staff development, funding, and monitoring. (YLB)

Dynamic Concept Analysis (DCA) is introduced as a means of building conceptual models in case studies and using information of concept relations in developing general and individual models to depict a particular phenomenon. DCA enables holistic studies of complex phenomena and analyzes the relationships between concepts to express these relations as an information structure. DCA is applied in the following studies: (1) "Dynamic Concept Analysis (DCA): Integrating Information in Conceptual Models" by S. Kontiainen uses DCA to analyze different phenomena by building "information structures" and "conceptual models"; (2) "Individual Models of Adult Learning" by S. Kontiainen uses DCA to analyze adult learning processes; (3) "Institutional Models of Higher Education" by S. Kontiainen and M. Tight uses DCA in a study of British institutions of higher education and defines five ideal-typical institutional types; (4) "Individual Models of Moral Judgement" by S. Kontiainen and K. Helkama looks at Kohlberg's stages of moral reasoning in terms of DCA; (5) "Understanding Different Outcomes in Decision Making" by S. Kontiainen and others uses DCA in studies of different outcomes in decision-making processes, focusing on how conceptual analyses and models are useful when trying to understand a particular decision; and (6) "Transforming a General Model into Individual Models: Individual Models of Affective Experience of Unemployment" by S. Kontiainen and J. Manninen uses DCA to transform a general model of experience of unemployment into individual models; and (7) "Supervision of Teaching Practice in Adult Education: Student's and Supervisor's Perceptions of Supervision" by S. Kontiainen and J. Hobrough gives an example of the use of DCA and conceptual models in analyzing supervision in teaching practice. (RLC)

This book contains 18 articles in which contributors from England, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland, Australia, and the United States explore the relationship between education and work in democracies. The articles are: "Introduction: The Meaning and Place of Work" (Corson); "Towards a Humanistic Conception of Education and Work" (Chomsky); "Education, Schooling and the World of Work" (Wringe); "Introduction: Linking Education and Work" (Corson); "Issues in the Vocational-Liberal Studies Controversy (1900-1917): John Dewey vs the Social Efficiency Philosophers" (Wirth); "Vocational Education and Democracy" (Sherman); "Introduction: Policy in Social Context" (Corson); "Gender, Education, and Work" (Branson); "Technical and Vocational Schooling: Education or Work?" (McCulloch);"Leisure, Work and Education" (Entwistle); "Social and Technological Change: Diversity or Commonality in Post-School Education" (Weir); "Youth Unemployment: A Review of the Literature" (Furnham); "State Policy and Employment" (Shirley); "Introduction: Studies in Work across the Curriculum" (Corson); "Building on Youth Cultures in the Secondary Curriculum" (Walker); "School to Work" (Taylor); "Unemployment and the Schools" (Snook); and "Vocational Skills Training in Transition Education: Successful Practice in New Zealand?" (Korndorffer). Contains 367 references. (MN)

This volume contains 19 papers that were presented at a conference addressing critical issues related to employment options for older persons. They are arranged in four sections that cover early retirement policies and their implications; older workers of Asia and the Pacific; the impact of technological change on the employment prospects of older persons; and the reorganization of work, leisure, and education over the life cycle. The papers are: "Work, Aging and the Life Cycle" (Xavier Gaullier); "Early Exit and the Employment of Older Workers in the 1990s in the United Kingdom" (Frank Laczko); "Early Retirement Policies and Practices in the United States" (Denise F. Loftus); "Early Retirement and the Middle-Aged" (Malcolm H. Morrison); "Ageism in the British Labor Market" (Alan Walker); "Older Workers in Asia and the Pacific" (John McCallum); "Work, Retirement and Income Security" (Lita J. Domingo); "Older Workers in a Developing Economy" (Nii-K Plange); "Older Japanese Workers" (Michiko Naoi); "The Impact of Technological Change on Employment Prospects for Older Persons" (Harvey L. Sterns); "New Technologies and the Aging of the Labor Force" (Marie-Noel Beauchesne-Florival); "The Impact of Technological Change on Employment for Older Persons from a West German Perspective" (Gerald A. Straka); "Older Workers and Technology" (Robert A. Harootyan); "Implications of Technological Advances for Canadian Workers" (Neil Charness); "The Reorganization of Work, Leisure and Education over the Life Cycle" (Jack Habib, Charlotte Nusberg); "Flexibility and Free Choice in Working Life" (Gosta Rehn); "Does Flexible Life Scheduling Have a Future?" (Fred Best); "Emerging Changes in the Structure of the Employment Relationship and Their Projected Effects on the Distinction between Work and Retirement" (Dan Jacobson); and "Leisure and the Structure of Our Life Worlds" (Jon Hendricks, Stephen J. Cutler). (KC)

The most prominent theories of unemployment that have emerged since 1960 are search, disequilibrium, implicit contracts, efficiency wage, and insider/outsider models. Search models assume that it takes time and effort for employers and potential employees to find each other. A "partial-partial" equilibrium approach focuses on one side of the market. The reservation wage approach focuses on the problem of finding an employer willing to offer adequate compensation. The most promising is the trade friction approach. The fixed price or disequilibrium literature shows that the most effective policy for combating unemployment depends upon which markets are out of equilibrium. Recent work has shown that imperfect competition in a general equilibrium setting may result in "coordination failures." Basic assumptions underlying research in implicit contracts are that contract terms are isolated from market forces and that workers are more averse to risk than employers are. This line of research has encountered difficulties in attempting to explain the coexistence of wage rigidity and unemployment in a contracting framework. The two most promising lines of research in an attempt to explain wage rigidity and unemployment are efficiency wage theory and the insider/outsider theory of unemployment. Two issues remain: empirical verification of critical features of the models and similarities across models. (An index and 176 references are provided.) (YLB)

This study focuses on the connection between education and the world of work and the urgency of the endeavor to educate the work force. Part I considers the resources for adult learning in the United States, with a focus on the major providers outside the traditional education system. Technological resources that can extend educational opportunities and reach more workers are then analyzed. Examples of each medium's use are given, and its limitations and effectiveness for instruction are charted. One new development is given special attention: artificial intelligence as an aid in training and education. Part II describes workers' training opportunities. It looks first at the skilled trades and technical fields: construction workers, office workers, administrative assistants, information systems technicians, and factory workers encountering computer-integrated manufacturing systems. Next, the education of managers is considered. Finally, updating knowledge of advanced professionals is examined. Examples from various providers show contributions toward available opportunities. Part III deals with those whom training programs fail to reach or serve adequately: dislocated workers, unemployed youth, immigrants and refugees, and welfare recipients. The report concludes that the issues call for public responsibility and action. Federal, state, and private initiatives are urged. Endnotes for each chapter and an index are appended. (YLB)

"Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators" is the authoritative source for accurate information on the state of education around the world. It provides data on the output of educational institutions; the impact of learning across countries; the financial and human resources invested in education; access, participation and progression in education; and the learning environment and organisation of schools. The 2015 edition introduces more detailed analysis of participation in early childhood and tertiary levels of education. The report also examines first generation tertiary-educated adults' educational and social mobility, labour market outcomes for recent graduates, and participation in employer-sponsored formal and/or non-formal education. Readiness to use information and communication technology for problem solving in teaching and learning is also examined. The publication provides indicators on the impact of skills on employment and earnings, gender differences in education and employment, and teacher and school leader appraisal systems. The report covers all 34 OECD countries and a number of partner countries (Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Latvia, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia and South Africa, and for the first time, Costa Rica and Lithuania). This book is organized into the following chapters: (1) The output of educational institutions and the impact of learning; (2) Financial and human resources invested in education; (3) Access to education, participation and progression; and (4) The learning environment and organisation of schools. The following Annexes are included: (1) Characteristics of Education Systems; (2) Reference Statistics; (3) Sources, Methods and Technical Notes; (4) Contributors to this Publication; and (5) Education Indicators in Focus. Individual chapters contain references.

"Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators" is the authoritative source for accurate and relevant information on the state of education around the world. It provides data on the structure, finances, and performance of education systems in the OECD's 34 member countries, as well as a number of partner countries. In the 2014 edition, new material includes: (1) data from the Survey of Adult Skills, a product of the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), on attainment, employment, intergenerational education mobility, earnings, and social outcomes related to skills proficiency; (2) new indicators on private institutions, on what it takes to become a teacher, and on the availability of, and participation in, professional development activities for teachers; (3) data from the 2013 OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) in several indicators; (4) analysis of the impact of the recent economic crisis on the interplay among educational attainment, employment, earnings and public finance; (5) more in-depth information related to upper secondary completion rates; (6) a detailed examination of the types and use of student loans; and (7) for the first time, data from Colombia and Latvia. The Excel™ spreadsheets used to create the tables and charts in "Education at a Glance" are available via the "StatLinks" provided throughout. The tables and charts, as well as the complete OECD Online Education Database, are freely available via the OECD Education website at www.oecd.org/edu/eag.htm. A data update released in January 2015 is available at http://data.oecd.org/chart/4eJL. Sections contain references. Annexes are included. [For "Education at a Glance 2013: OECD Indicators," see ED565648.]

This book focuses on the questions of: why do some economically disadvantaged nations develop significantly faster than others, and what roles do their educational systems play? As case illustrations, in the early 1960s Mexico and South Korea were both equally underdeveloped agrarian societies. Since that time, the development strategies pursued by each country resulted in dramatically different results. By the turn of the century South Korea possessed one of the finest educational systems in the world and was a world-class producer of high-tech products. Mexico, on the other hand, was still graduating less than half of its secondary school-age students and bogged down in assembling products owned by others. The book addresses the issues of what happened and why, and frames the consequences for other developing nations facing similar challenges. Professor Hanson argues that the key to understanding involves the manner and intensity in which these countries engaged their educational, governmental and business institutions to acquire manufacturing knowledge from offshored transnational corporations, and how they used these insights to grow their own local industries. Whereas South Korea studied the foreign outsourced plants as if they were educational systems and pursued with tenacity the new knowledge they possessed, Mexico viewed them as "cash cows" that generated wages and reduced unemployment. The author emphasizes that significant educational reform will only break down the barriers of institutional bureaucracies when responding to the pressures and demands of industrialization. This is one of the first books of its kind to compare South-East Asian and Latin American economies and their links to educational systems.