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The Training Guarantee Act (TGA) passed by the Federal Parliament of Australia in 1990 establishes a training guarantee scheme. It requires employers to invest in high quality, employment-related training that will most benefit their businesses. The levy is having an impact on many facets of human resource development in Australia. In seeking to bring together the urgent need for Australian industry to lift its contribution to training and the government's desire not to intervene unnecessarily in enterprise training decisions, a minimum expenditure obligation scheme has been proposed. Registered Industry Training Agents (RITAs) have been established to advise employers on eligible programs and eligible expenditure. Investment in training in industry is increasing and will continue to increase in the near future. Quality audits of training should be required to ensure consistency and quality of on-the-job training. Because of the potential for difficulty and conflict between government agencies and the private sector, the Commonwealth Government needs to contribute to the quality training provision by industry. Finally, as a result of the training levy, workplace reforms are taking place in terms of appropriate management and employee work practices, better forms of work organization, and more cooperative industrial relations. For full benefits of the TGA to be achieved, a comprehensive, integrated approach needs to be adopted. (11 references) (YLB)

This paper describes the implementation of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), a systemwide reform that calls for curriculum change at senior secondary levels in Victoria (Australia). The system is required to reorganize and develop new organizational structures with full knowledge and assessment of the status, organizational health, and climate of the school where it intends to have direct impact. VCE is a 2-year course covering secondary students in grades 11 and 12. it is examined from 3 perspectives: (1) nature of the change; (2) professional development; and (3) organizational development. Questions addressed in identifying the nature or characteristics of a selected change include: What school structures and processes are required? What resources are needed for implementation? What learning outcomes are being valued? What is the role of the teacher? What is the role of the students? What is the role of the principal and other school leaders? and What is the role of parents? The second section describes the professional development plan considering: approaches, underlying principles, role of outside consultants, extent and nature of teacher change required, teacher types, and improvements to the plan. The final section outlines the organizational changes required to implement the new curriculum. The document concludes with recommendations for a unified implementation of the VCE in Victorian senior secondary schools. (Contains 25 references.) (LL)

An empirical model for evaluating a school-TAFE (technical and further education) link program was derived from the results of an evaluation of a Queensland, Australia, program. The program established a TAFE center run by the county TAFE college on high school grounds, in which students could take 50% of their courses. The evaluation gathered information from the high school, TAFE, and community. The following criteria were used: suitability of location, effectiveness of organizational structure, use of resources, use of staff, suitability of curriculum, cost effectiveness, achievement of expected outcomes, and alternative solutions. For each criterion, relevant questions were generated to gather both qualitative and quantitative information. Field test results were as follows: the location was not suitable due to lack of potential growth and employment opportunities and small town population; layout of the building inhibited offerings of new programs; center and school staff did not communicate regularly; with no updated written policies on center organization and operation, resources and facilities were not being used to their potential; subjects offered provided very limited employment prospects; and although TAFE students acquired job skills and experience, they were not offered classes for entrance to university education. Options included closing down the center, improving it, or reorganizing it. (YLB)

A major challenge confronting vocational educators is to justify programs in economic terms. The purpose of this study was to propose and implement a cost-benefit analysis model to determine the economic outcomes of secondary vocational education programs at the local level. For the study, a cost-benefit model for secondary vocational education was proposed, submitted to a panel of experts for revision, implemented, and evaluated. The model was implemented at a comprehensive high school and an area vocational center in the Roanoke County School Division, Virginia. Four visits were made by the researchers from December, 1984, to April, 1985, to the central administrative offices and to the school sites to gather data related to costs and benefits. Further, a follow-up survey was conducted to determine the monthly income earned and average number of hours worked per week by the graduates of each of four vocational programs. Based upon analysis of the data, the study concluded that the cost-benefit analysis model is usable and should be transportable to other secondary vocational settings. (In the specific implementation for this study, it was concluded that the trade and industrial program, the business education program, and the marketing and distributive education program were economically profitable, while the occupational home economics program was not economically profitable.) The field test of the cost-benefit analysis model of secondary vocational education programs with its findings and conclusions suggests that the Roanoke County model can be used to determine the economic outcomes of vocational programs and is transportable to other secondary vocational education settings. (KC)

Multidisciplinary training in social competence is of vital importance for service-oriented workers who have direct linkage with baseline citizens. Extension workers should be aware of the nature and characteristics of social science tools and be able to apply them in their daily activities. The following six competencies have been identified as necessary for extension workers: confidence, empathy, autonomy, judgment, creativity, and intelligence. Existing programs for training village-level extension agents cover a variety of subjects in technical areas in agriculture; however, the curriculum lacks emphasis on the development of social competencies. Such training is especially needed at the village level since nearly 60 percent of the village population are peasant farmers. Village-level extension agents must have a thorough understanding of the complex hierarchy of village society. Instruction for agents should be provided both in class and under field conditions through such techniques as group discussion, panels, field visits, camping, and on-site demonstrations. Improving the physical, economic, social, and cultural environment in which extension workers live and interact; participating in social and cultural activities; and maintaining functional relationships with other social institutions are additional ways through which social competence could be developed among village-level extension workers who have direct and immediate links with their clients. (MN)

A study examined the factors associated with operational limitations of the Training and Visit System, an information diffusion method, at the local levels. A personal interview survey was conducted to gather data required for this study from agricultural extension personnel from three predominantly agricultural areas in Sri Lanka. Stepwise regression analyses were used at 0.01 significance level to determine the degree of influence of independent variables related to both characteristics of extension personnel and the Training and Visit System on the dependent variable, the number of operational problems identified by extension personnel. The study revealed that the number of operational problems was influenced by both independent variable sets. Approximately 16 percent of the variance in the dependent variable was attributable to the individual characteristics of Extension agents, specifically age and satisfaction with being an Extension agent. On the other hand, activities specific to the Training and Visit System influenced nearly 52 percent of variation in the number of operational problems. Study findings were seen as having several useful implications for how administrators and consultants of the Training and Visit System may improve its operational effectiveness at the local level. (YLB)

A mail survey was conducted to gather information about entry-level career opportunities for college graduates in nonprofit and voluntary organizations in the United States. One hundred questionnaires were mailed to nonprofit and voluntary organizations, with a return of 57 usable questionnaires. The findings of the study show that there are employment opportunities for graduates in these organizations. The employment opportunities include specific positions ranging from program directors and supervisors to social workers and from teachers to counselors. The positions existing in these organizations permit the entry of graduates from a variety of academic disciplines. The study suggests that for continued growth and development of the nonprofit sector and its contribution to the nation's employment, trained personnel with college degrees are needed. For this purpose, colleges and the nonprofit sector could develop cooperative programs, internships, and volunteer opportunities for students interested in pursuing careers with these organizations upon completion of their degree. Courses in administration and management of the nonprofit sector, fundraising, communications, public relations, and partnership development could be jointly prepared and offered by universities and the nonprofit sector. Finally, a national agenda should be set up to develop talents, skills, knowledge, and personalities among graduates for improved management of resources in nonprofit and voluntary organizations. (Author/KC)