The problem and the solution. A variety ofpowerful economic factors are combining to change the way work is done. These changes have profound implications for the basic employability skill requirements ofour workers. Research suggests, however, that too many workers cannot meet the basic skill demands needed to successfully perform job duties, learn, and apply learning on the job. The success ofhuman resource development professionals in building a globally competitive workforce is dependent on a thorough understanding ofwhat basic employability skills are needed as well as their capacity to help build workforce development systems that will ensure every worker has these skills.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Altonji, J. G.
(1992). The effects of high school curriculum on education and labor market outcomes (NBER Working Paper No. 4142). Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.
2.
Bailey, T.
(1990). Jobs of the future and the skills they require. American Educator, 14(1), 10-15, 40-44.
3.
Bartel, A. P.
, & Lichtenberg, F. R. (1987).The comparative advantage of educated workers in implementing new technology. Review of Economics and Statistics, 69,1-11.
4.
Berryman, S. E.
(1994). The role of literacy in the wealth of individuals and nations. Philadelphia: National Center on Adult Literacy, University of Pennsylvania.
5.
Berryman, S. E.
, & Bailey, T. R. (1992). The double helix of education and the economy. New York: Institute on Education and the Economy, Columbia University.
6.
Cappelli, P.
, & Rogovsky, N. (1994). Self-assessed skill needs and job performance (Technical Report TR94-08). Philadelphia: National Center on the Educational Quality of the Workforce, University of Pennsylvania.
7.
Carnevale, A. P.
, Gainer, L. J., & Meltzer, A. S. (1990). Workplace basics training manual. Best Practices Series: ASTD. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
8.
Cohen, W. M.
, & Levinthal, D. A. (1990).Absorptive capacity: A new perspective on learning and innovation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35,128-152.
9.
Department of Labor
. (1991). What work requires of schools: A SCANS report for America 2000. Springfield, VA: National Technical Information Service.
10.
Gainer, L.
(1988). Update: Basic skills. Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development.
11.
Gowen, S.
(1992). The politics of workplace literacy: A case study. New York: Teachers College Press.
12.
Henry, J. F.
, & Raymond, S. (1983). Basic skills in the U. S. workforce. New York: Center for Public Resources.
13.
Hinck, B. W.
(1998). Building workforce basic skills for the 21st century. TAPPI Journal, 81(5), 107-110.
14.
Knell, S.
(1990).Workplace literacy: What it is and what vocational education can do about it. Vocational Education Journal, 65,24-25, 73-73.
15.
Levy, F.
, & Murnane, R. (1992). Earnings levels and earnings inequality: A review of recent trends and proposed explanations. Journal of Economic Literature, 30, 1333-1381.
16.
Lund, L.
, & McGuire, E. P. (1990). Literacy in the workplace (Report 947). New York: The Conference Board.
17.
Mehrens, W.
(1989). Michigan employability skills employer survey (Tech. Rep.). East Lansing: Michigan State University.
18.
Nash, B. E.
, & Korte, R. C. (1994). Performing a national job analysis study: Overview of methodology and procedures. Iowa City, IA: American College Testing.
19.
Nash, B. E.
, & Korte, R. C. (1997). Validation of SCANS competencies by a national job analysis study. In H. F. O’Neil (Ed.), Workforce readiness (pp. 77-102). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
20.
National Academy of Sciences
. (1984). High schools and the changing workplace: The employers’ view. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. (NTIS No. PB84-240191)
21.
National Association of Manufacturers
. (1997). Survey of American manufacturing workforce. Washington, DC: Author.
22.
National Center on Education and the Economy
. (1990). America’s choice. Rochester, NY: Author.
23.
National Commission on Excellence in Education
. (1983). A nation at risk: The imperative for educational reform. Washington, DC: U. S. Department of Education.
24.
National Education Goals Panel
. (1994). National Educational Goals Panel report: Building a nation of learners. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
25.
National Skill Standards Board. (1998-2000). The NSSB: A Brief Description. Retrieved January 13, 2002, from http://www.nssb.org/
26.
Office of Technology Assessment
. (1990). Worker training. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
27.
O’Neil, H. F.
, Allred, K., & Baker, E. L. (1992). Measurement of workforce readiness competencies: Design of prototype measures (CSE Tech. Rep. No. 344). Los Angeles: University of California, Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing.
28.
O’Neil, H. F.
, Allred, K., & Baker, E. L. (1997). Review of workforce readiness theoretical frameworks. In H. F. O’Neil (Ed.), Workforce readiness: Competencies and readiness (pp. 3-25). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
29.
Reich, R. B.
(1992). The work of nations. New York: Vintage.
30.
Thayer, P. W.
(1997). A rapidly changing world: Some implications for training systems in the year 2001 and beyond. In M. A. Quinones & A. Ehrenstein (Eds.), Training for a rapidly changing workplace: Implications for psychological research (pp. 15-30). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
