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This paper explores educational stratification of unemployment in early labor market career; its institutional embeddedness in specific education and employment systems; and youth unemployment in France (F), the United Kingdom (UK), and West Germany (G), which greatly differ relative to major institutional characteristics of education systems and labor markets. Analyses use national Labor Force Surveys data to assess recent trends. The paper relies on single-stage and sequential logit models to estimate effects of individual educational achievement on unemployment risks and presents evidence of a sharp distinction between the educational stratification observed in G, F, and the UK. Findings indicate the following: (1) labor market entry occurs smoothly and immediately for vocationally qualified leavers in G, with extensive search for first jobs confined to the least qualified; (2) after initial employment in G, education plays a negligible role for risk of unemployment, which is more tied to features of employment positions; (3) in F and the UK, the match between qualifications and jobs is less clear-cut and level of education provides advantages in terms of less search unemployment and lower job instability, yet differentiation is much less pronounced; (4) in F and UK, education effects maintain positive impacts on job stability, suggesting a more gradual match between qualifications and attainment; and (5) results are stable for both time periods, indicating idiosyncratic changes in the educational stratification of youth unemployment. (Contains 58 references.) (YLB)

This document presents five papers, each describing different experiences in the introduction, promotion and implementation of innovative adult training approaches aimed at achieving more flexibility in skill development. An introduction (Anatoli Tchaban) presents background information and a synthesis of the studies covering definitions, concepts and approaches, government policies and institutional frameworks, major issues discussed, and a listing of appropriate strategies to adopt. The following papers are included: "Improving the Relevance of Vocational Training and Delivery Approaches: Recent Developments in Australia's Vocational Education and Training System" (Roland McMillan); "Open and Flexible Learning: Experience in the United Kingdom and in the Moscow Region of the Russian Federation" (John Twining); "Open System for Individualized Training: A French Training Scheme for Adults (Cyrille Salort); "More Flexibility through Modules: Scotland's Vocational Training Reform" (Rob van Krieken); and "Quick Start: Company Specific/Job Specific Training Programmes in the United States" (Clarence Burdette). The first two papers contain extensive bibliographies and the fourth has an appendix describing a vocational certification program in the travel and tourism area. (SLR)

This paper provides an overview of the available information concerning selected policy instruments intended to promote employer-provided training, including the stated rationale and objectives, the target groups and operational design as well as a at a summary of the evaluative evidence regarding their operation. The analysis focuses on policy instruments providing financial assistance or incentives, specifically, subsidies (including tax incentives and grants) and levy schemes that devote a least some share of their resources to continuing training. Training leave regulations are considered only to the extent that they can be treated as a form of subsidy or a levy scheme, depending on the main financing mechanism involved. Instruments that focus solely on improving the quality of training or enhancing transparency in the training market are not addressed. In addition to offering a description of different instruments, the paper discusses the strengths and weaknesses (or risks and opportunities, respectively) of different types of instrument or particular elements of instrument design. It also specifies principles of successful instrument design that have been put forth in the literature and concludes with some remarks regarding the choice of policies. Training funds in combination with levy schemes in OECD and non-OECD countries are appended. Individual sections contain endnotes. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

Access to lifelong learning opportunities has long been discussed in terms of the economic benefits conferred by access to and engagement in further education by members of the labor force, particularly within the global knowledge economy. However, equitable access to lifelong education opportunities, particularly for low-skilled adults in the labor force, has been lacking. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) identified three models for funding adult learning: (1) individual learning accounts; (2) individual savings accounts; and (3) training vouchers. The current study discusses examples of these models, either proposed or implemented, across four countries or economic blocks - France, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition, to understand the importance of providing funding for education and training to adults with low levels literacy skills, we use data from the Program for the International Assessment for Adult Competencies (PIAAC) to compare participation in adult education and training (AET) by literacy skill levels. In all countries examined, adults with low literacy skills participated in AET at lower rates than those with middle and high levels of literacy skills. To be successful in reaching adults most in need of skill upgrading, financing models need to provide adequate funds for meaningful skill upgrades, have well-structured information sources (e.g., websites) that are easily navigated by the target population, and include policies to screen educational providers for program quality. [This paper will be published in "Adult Learning."]

This document contains three papers from a symposium on characteristics orientation, needs, and expectations. "Characteristics Orientation of Emerging Professions: Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice of Continuing Professional Education" (William H. Young, Margot B. Weinstein) reports on a qualitative study that examined emerging professions in U.S. society through the characteristics orientation presented by Gilley and Eggland and related the implications to continuing professional education. Special attention was paid to the fields of information technology, real estate, and human resource development. "Managers' Needs and Expectations of Management Education" (Carole Elliot) presents the findings of a study that examined the relationship between six managers who were enrolled part-time in a masters of business administration program and their teachers. The study findings cast doubt on the effectiveness of large-scale programs of management development for individual managers that occur away from the workplace and the validity of more quantitative approaches to needs analysis that generalize management development needs. "Predicting Future Skill Needs in the Clothing Sector (Ian Taplin, Jonathan Winterton, Ruth Winterton) discusses a project during which future skill needs in the British clothing sector were identified as part of efforts to implement the British government's policy of averting skill shortages and remedying skill gaps. All three papers include substantial bibliographies. (MN)

This white paper examines the business case for environmental and sustainability (E&S) employee education and engagement. The "business case" is defined as both quantifiable measures of the business value for the sustainability program (e.g. money saved, energy use reduction, etc.) as well as less easily measurable assets such as reputation enhancement. Information in the white paper is primarily based on qualitative, anecdotal data and interviews, a review of company reports and Web sites as well as media articles, books and recent reports from Green Impact, ICF International (ICF) and MIT Sloan Management Review. The examples outlined in this white paper build on cases documented in "The Engaged Organization" report from Cisco, Clean Clothes, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Stonyfield and Walmart. Additional company case study examples from Baxter, Citigroup, Darden, eBay, IKEA, Intel, Lockheed Martin, Kimberly-Clark and Sodexo are also presented. Company Profiles is appended. (Contains 2 footnotes and 14 resources.) [Funding for this paper was provided by Kimberly-Clark.]

The future of bilateral aid to basic education is at risk, placing the educational opportunities of many of the world's poorest girls and boys on the line. Some donor governments are reducing overall bilateral assistance, others are phasing out long-standing partnerships with particular developing countries and several are abandoning education as a priority sector altogether. In light of the challenge the current reductions in bilateral aid to education are posing to the achievement of universal quality education, the Center for Universal Education and the Education for All Fast Track Initiative have undertaken a preliminary analysis of the current trends in donor aid to education. This paper starts by setting out the financing need in developing countries, in the context both of progress made throughout the past decade, and of the remaining progress yet to be made to strengthen education systems in low and middle income countries. This analysis uses public reports and the results of a short survey of donors to create a forecast of the overall picture of bilateral aid to basic education over the next few years, as well as the impact on individual developing countries. Specifically, the authors focus on low- and low middle-income countries, as defined by the World Bank classifications. This initial analysis reveals that donors are pulling out of the education sector in several countries simultaneously, with little coordination or effort to ensure that funding is not dramatically cut. However, with many countries still coping with large numbers of out-of-school children, and more which have yet to ensure that the education provided is of good quality, the timing for donor withdrawal could not be worse. The fragile gains made in the past decade may be lost altogether if this trend is not mitigated by increased and better coordination of aid to education. Annexes include: (1) Donor Questionnaire; (2) Low and Low-Middle Income Partner Countries Recently Phased Out or to Be Phased Out from 2 or More Bilateral Partner Programs; and (3) Selection of Countries to Lose Education Aid. (Contains 4 charts and 39 endnotes.) [This report was produced by the Center for Universal Education at Brookings.