Making the First Chance a Real Chance: Bridging Education and Work for All Minnesota Youth and Adults. Report to the 1993 Legislature.

This document contains task force findings and recommendations regarding development of a statewide plan for facilitating education and employment transitions (EET) of youths and adults throughout Minnesota. Chapter 1 presents a rationale for a statewide EET system in the context of the employment/earnings patterns of Minnesota youths and adults, productivity and global competition, labor needs, lifelong learning, and workplace dynamics in a changing culture. Outlined in chapter 2 are underlying assumptions and characteristics/attributes of Minnesota's system for EET. Chapter 3 presents seven recommendations focusing on establishment of a lifework development system, work-based learning, learner outcomes, learner support, professional development, coordination, and standards. Described in chapter 4 are representative EET programs sponsored by government, education, and nonprofit agencies/organizations in Minnesota. Chapters 5 and 6 discuss national efforts for EET in the United States and EET in Western Europe and Japan. Barriers to EET and the role of the public and private sectors in EET are analyzed in chapters 7 and 8, respectively. Appended are excerpts of legislation pertinent to the task force's mission/operation, biographical profiles of task force members, and lists of task force meeting sites/dates and invited speakers. Contains 97 references. (MN)