Workplace Competencies: The Need To Improve Literacy and Employment Readiness. Policy Perspectives Series. [Report No.: IS-90-987

Autor/inn/en	Barton, Paul E.; Kirsch, Irwin S.
Institution	Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC.
Titel	Workplace Competencies: The Need To Improve Literacy and Employment Readiness. Policy Perspectives Series. [Report No.: IS-90-987
Quelle	(1990), (44 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Adult Education; Basic Skills; Employment Potential; Employment Qualifications; Entry Workers; Futures (of Society); High School Graduates; Job Skills; Labor Needs; Minority Groups; Workplace Literacy; Young Adults + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Adult; Adults; Education; Adult basic education; Adult training; Erwachsenenbildung; Basic skill; Grundfertigkeit; Arbeitsmarktbezogene Qualifikation; Beschäftigungsfähigkeit; Employment qualification; Vocational qualification; Vocational qualifications; Berufliche Qualifikation; Future; Society; Zukunft; High school; High schools; Graduate; Graduates; Oberschule; Absolvent; Absolventin; Produktive Fertigkeit; Labour needs; Arbeitskräftebedarf; Ethnische Minderheit; Young adult; Junger Erwachsener
Abstract	Employers find it increasingly difficult to hire competent workers, in part because expectations are rising in the face of global competition. A single standard of literacy is an inadequate measure. The National Assessment of Educational Progress' profile of 3,600 young adults measured three types of literacy: prose (reading and interpretation), document (using tables and charts), and quantitative (performing numerical operations). The study concluded that, among entry workers, (1) relatively small proportions are proficient at moderate or relatively complex tasks; (2) minority groups' scores were generally lower; and (3) the longer the time in school, the higher the literacy proficiency. More information is needed about the literacy levels of occupations. In addition to literacy, employers are demanding employability, problem-solving, interpersonal, and other skills. Some claim that the future workplace may have even higher requirements. Clearly, present literacy levels are too low to meet even current needs. The following actions are recommended: (1) address information processing skills; (2) expand proficiency measures beyond classroom reading; (3) develop instructional approaches that simulate real experience; and (4) improve evaluation measures by developing employment readiness profiles, conducting longitudinal literacy studies, and analyzing the literacy needs of occupations. (23 references) (SK)
Anmerkungen	Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2004/1/01