A roadmap for how we can rebuild America's working class by transforming workforce education and training. The American dream promised that if you worked hard, you could move up, with well-paying working-class jobs providing a gateway to an ever-growing middle class. Today, however, we have increasing inequality, not economic convergence. Technological advances are putting quality jobs out of reach for workers who lack the proper skills and training. In Workforce Education, William Bonvillian and Sanjay Sarma offer a roadmap for rebuilding America's working class. They argue that we need to train more workers more quickly, and they describe innovative methods of workforce education that are being developed across the country.

Development of this text has been based on the notion that workforce education and development (WFED) systems—such as, secondary and postsecondary vocational and technical education (VTE), career education and guidance, human resource and organizational development (HROD), and adult training and retraining including literacy programs—have essential roles to play in supporting both individual and national efforts to successfully participate in and reap the benefits offered by globalization. While this assumption has intuitive appeal, not everyone believes that vocational preparation programs result in positive outcomes. Psacharopoulos (1997), an outspoken international critic of vocational education and training, argues that WFED programs often have a low rate of return on a country’s investment when compared to that of the general academic curriculum. He contends that WFED initiatives often fail because too much emphasis is placed on these efforts to address myriad complex issues, and that decision makers do not utilize the available evidence about VTE to make prudent, informed choices. Instead, major players in the global economy like the World Bank tout basic academic education as an essential priority for developing countries wanting to enter into global markets and exchange.

Oil and gas companies are continually upgrading drilling and production facilities in response to safety, regulatory, and technology advances, causing the amount of data that an operator must interpret in order to optimize a facility’s production to increase exponentially. Trained employees are at premium demand in the field, and companies are willing to pay for skills. However, there are too many skill-specific positions available and too many untrained applicants, and companies within this industry lack the recruiting, training, and experience necessary to train them. Workforce Education at Oil and Gas Companies in the Permian Basin: Emerging Research and Opportunities is an essential scholarly resource that examines changing technical, data analysis, and decision-making skills required of operations or maintenance personnel, as well as expectations for future changes. The book contrasts these needs against a typical oilfield worker’s education level and skillset in order to target potential solutions for the challenges that face today’s workforce. Highlighting topics such as economic development, oilfield technology, and employee training, this book is geared toward oil and gas workers, training facilitators, education practitioners, industry professionals, academicians, and researchers.

Lifelong learning can occur both in and out of the classroom, but the most valuable instruction takes place on the job. Remote Workforce Training: Effective Technologies and Strategies investigates methods, techniques, and systems used in employee training programs. The tools and technologies surveyed within these pages will help employers take their workers beyond the transient skill sets offered by university degrees and into a constant state of learning and practice that will enhance both their productivity and technical abilities on a regular basis. In particular, the knowledge offered by this reference book will be of use to educators and students as well as managers, leaders, administrators, and personnel.

This study examins a catagory of education and training that is not frequently put under the magnifying glass: employers practices and decision-making processes with regard to workplace education and training for lower-wage workers. It is hoped that the results of the study will both inform public policy and be of use to employers interested in enhancing the education and training that they provide to lower-wage workers.

In an effort to create a more educated workforce in the United States, many community colleges are implementing the use of advisory groups to assist under-prepared students. These efforts will ultimately support a stronger and more resilient global workforce. The Role of Advisory Committees in Biomedical Education and Workforce Development: Emerging Research and Opportunities is a pivotal reference source for the latest research findings on the development of advisory committees in biomedical education, workforce development, and the guiding principles that result in successful research and opportunities. Featuring extensive coverage on relevant areas such as workforce education programs, collaborative decision-making, and skillset training, this publication is an ideal resource for academics, researchers, graduate-level students, committee development officers, business professionals, administrators, and workforce education specialists.

Technology has become a driving force of innovation in every industry and professionals need to strengthen their proficiency in emerging technologies to remain competitive. Today’s working world is very demanding of young professionals, as recent graduates are expected to come into their chosen field both knowledgeable and ready to hit the ground running, with minimal on-the-job training. Computer-Mediated Learning for Workforce Development delivers crucial knowledge on how to prepare twenty-first century students for today’s fast-paced workforce. This book explores the use of multimedia programs in classrooms to train students on necessary technology skills through techniques such as game-based training curriculums and massive open online courses (MOOCs). This publication also touches on computer-mediated youth civic action and interaction by examining the use of social media during the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street, and Black Lives Matter movements. Filled with critical information on educational technology, mobile learning, and employment preparation, this book is a vital resource for academicians, education practitioners, school administrators, and advanced-level students.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has disrupted businesses worldwide through the introduction of highly automated processes. This disruption has affected the way in which companies conduct business, impacting everything from managerial styles to resource allocations to necessary new skillsets. As the business world continues to change and evolve, it is imperative that business education strategies are continuously revised and updated in order to adequately prepare students who will be entering the workforce as future entrepreneurs, executives, and marketers, among other careers. The Research Anthology on Business and Technical Education in the Information Era is a vital reference source that examines the latest scholarly material on pedagogical approaches in finance, management, marketing, international business, and other fields. It also explores the implementation of curriculum development and instructional design strategies for technical education. Highlighting a range of topics such as business process management, skill development, and educational models, this multi-volume book is ideally designed for business managers, business and technical educators, entrepreneurs, academicians, upper-level students, and researchers.