Effective Employer Engagements: The Year Up Model

Working Together: business-adult education partnerships

National Work Readiness Credential

Mini-Simulation Soft Skills Development Tools (Learning Resources, Inc.)

College Scholarships, Colleges and Online Degrees

Marketing Guide for GED programs

The WoLLNET Project Toolkit

Functional Context Education: Making Learning Relevant (report)

Functional Context Education: Making Learning Relevant (workbook)

Developing Curriculum: An Evolving Model for Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education

Workplace Literacy & Essential Skills: What works? And why?: Literature Review

Building Basics: ESOL Toolkit for General Construction, Landscaping, Painting and Plumbing

Reach Higher, America: Overcoming Crisis in the U.S. Workforce, a report by the National Commission on Adult Literacy, presents powerful evidence that our failure to address America's adult education and workforce skills needs is putting our country in great jeopardy and threatening our nation's standard of living and economic viability.
(http://www.nationalcommissiononadultliteracy.org/report.html)

Basic Skills and Communication for Construction Workers provides guidelines improving basic skills (both numeracy and literacy). Training materials are related to tasks and duties included in actual jobs in the construction area.

GED Career Bridge to Hospitality Curriculum is a career-focused GED instruction guide based on WIN's GED Learning in the Workplace Curricula Guide for Hospitality, presented in a teacher-friendly format.

WorkSource Partners is a workforce development firm that designs and implements career development and education programs for entry-level workers. Their programs have helped to fill nursing vacancies by bringing pre-college and college education to the workplace.
(http://www.jff.org/Documents/Entrylevel_NEHRAarticle.pdf)

The Manufacturing Institute (the research, education and workforce arm of the National Association of Manufacturers) has launched its first industry-focused Education Council. The Council will develop national strategies to expand and enhance the manufacturing workforce.
(http://www.nam.org/AboutUs/TheManufacturingInstitute/EducationCouncil.aspx)

A report on the Sectoral Employment Initiative shares the results of targeting industries, training workers and improving opportunities for less-educated workers.
(http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/263_publication.pdf)

Turnover Turnaround is an article that describes how a carefully designed mentoring program for Certified Nurse Aids can improve staff retention in Long-term Care Centers.
(http://www.jobs2careers.org/pdf/TurnoverTurnaround.pdf)

Communicating at Work is a free web resource for immigrant adults. Interactive features, dialogues, scenarios and quizzes are designed to help adult learners improve their communication skills with supervisors, co-workers and customers.
(http://aaca-boston.org/caw/)

Invisible No Longer is a report that explores a wide variety of workforce development practices that address skills shortages in health care. The report focuses on emerging lessons and investment pay-offs of workforce development efforts aimed at entry-level health care workers.
(http://www.jobs2careers.org/pdf/Invisible.pdf)

Dyslexia at Work: Realising Your Employees' Potential is an article that answers key questions on dyslexia and provides advice to employers on the best ways to create a dyslexia-friendly workplace.
(http://www.hrzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=184367)

All Signs Point to Yes: Literacy's Impact on Workplace Health and Safety is a new report that explores the connections between literacy skills and workplace health and safety. 
(http://www.conferenceboard.ca  and go to E-Library for free download)

This online training tool allows you to create a customized industrial skills assessment test or choose from a growing list of industry-related online assessment tests. Category examples include risk, quality, safety, mechanical, electrical, maintenance and engineering assessments.
(www.bin95.com/Employee-Training-Assessments/Industrial_Training.php)

CareerOneStop's Testing and Assessment Center provides tools and guidelines for employers on skill testing, assessment, credentials and certifications.
(http://www.careeronestop.org/TESTING/TestingAssessmentHome.asp)

Key Survey provides a survey software tool that makes it easy to create online employee surveys. Employers can make use of pre-existing survey templates or create their own specialized and targeted applications with this survey tool.
(http://www.keysurvey.com)

Route 21 provide an online interactive tool that demonstrates how 21st century skills can be supported through standards, professional development, assessments and curriculum and instruction.
(http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/)

Higher-level Vocational Education and Training Qualifications is an Australian report on the relevance of qualifications to individuals and employers in several sectors within the service and manufacturing industries.
(http://www.ncver.edu.au/research/proj/nr06005.pdf)

The Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor has introduced the availability of almost $10 million in grant funds through the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative for regional approaches to workforce challenges in the energy industry and construction and skilled trades in the construction industry.
(http://www.doleta.gov/)

Strengthening State Adult Education Policies for Low-Skilled Workers is a brief report outlining state adult education policies and programs. It recommends improvements for better job advancement opportunities for lower-skilled adults and older youth.
(http://www.clasp.org/publications/policy_brief_-_adult_education_2_.pdf)

Incentives to train: Ensuring employer engagement, a UK research report, looks at findings from interviews and a roundtable discussion. Participants evaluated existing provision to incentivise training for employers, identifying the major areas of concern and proposing recommendations for change.
(http://www.nationalskillsforum.org.uk/Incentives_to%20Train%20(2).pdf)

Steps to safety: Improving workplace basic education and health and safety, a NALA (National Adult Literacy Agency, Ireland) resource, has been developed to improve literacy and language needs through the theme of health and safety. The areas covered are safety signs and symbols, managing information at work, health and hygiene, working safely and filling in an accident report form.
(http://www.nala.ie/download/pdf/s2s_workbook_nov06.pdf)

Workplace Education: Twenty State Perspectives is a new paper describing various aspects of current workplace education programs in 20 states. Prepared for the National Commission on Adult Literacy, it examines inputs and outcomes of the programs, strategic plans and future policy options.     
(http://www.nationalcommissiononadultliteracy.org/pandp.html)

A new report by the Migration Policy Institute identifies English acquisition as a serious challenge for both legal and illegal immigrants. Businesses are encouraged to invest more on English instruction as a way of improving workforce capacity.            (http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/NCIIP_English_Instruction073107.pdf)

ISO standards help to ensure processing quality, safety, reliability, efficiency and interchangeability in the delivery of goods and services. The widespread adoption of International Standards means that suppliers can base the development of their products and services on specifications that have wide acceptance in their sectors.
(http://www.iso.org)

A report from the Task Force on Workforce Development, Learning Partnerships: Strengthening American Jobs in the Global Economy, proposes "bottom-up partnerships" of government, educators, labor leaders, and employers to analyze job opportunities and workforce needs, and to develop effective training. (http://www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/ovaereview/orev052804.html#aepaf)

This article shows how to balance short-term profit with long-term investment in human capital (Benefits & Compensation Digest). Due to socioeconomic shifts including an impending demographic meltdown and a fall in U.S. workforce productivity, it is increasingly important to measure the effectiveness of every human capital development effort through calculating its return on investment (ROI).
(http://www.imperialcorp.com/whatsnew.html)

Recent research by the National Association of Manufacturers finds that skills shortages are having a widespread impact on manufacturers’ abilities to achieve production levels, increase productivity and meet customer demands. (http://www.nam.org/s_nam/sec.asp?CID=9&DID=7)

The President's High Growth Job Training Initiative is a strategic effort to prepare workers to take advantage of new and increasing job opportunities in high growth, high demand and economically vital sectors of the American economy. (http://www.doleta.gov/BRG/JobTrainInitiative/)

From the Entry Level to Licensed Practical Nurse: Four Case Studies of Career Ladders in Health Care (2005) showcases a handful of innovative Licensed Practical Nurse training programs that serve low-income adults working in entry-level health care. These successful programs incorporate education and training into well-defined steps of employer-sponsored career ladder opportunities that offer financial support, classes at or near the worksite, and clear rewards in pay and promotion for successful completion of each step. Available from Jobs for the Future (www.jff.org)

The Advanced Manufacturing Industry Initiative addresses hiring, training, and retention challenges. This set of workforce solutions is based on the industry's priorities. (http://www.doleta.gov/BRG/Indprof/Manufacturing.cfm)

The Automotive Industry Initiative addresses hiring, training, and retention challenges. This set of workforce solutions is based on the industry's priorities. (http://www.doleta.gov/BRG/Indprof/Automotive.cfm)

The Biotechnology Industry Initiative addresses hiring, training, and retention challenges. This set of workforce solutions is based on the industry's priorities. (http://www.doleta.gov/BRG/Indprof/Biotech.cfm)

The High Growth Job Training Initiative Investment Center of the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment & Training Administration allows you to search for grants related to high growth industries by grantee, industry, state or partner.
(http://www.doleta.gov/BRG/HGJTIGrantees/)

The Working for America Institute, in consultation with unions and labor-management partnerships in advanced manufacturing, has developed a list of the most pressing workforce challenges affecting the sector.
(http://www.workingforamerica.org/documents/challenges.htm)

TrainingConsortium is a searchable database of training consultants, speakers and vendors. Detailed listings include industry experience, area of expertise, geography and target audiences. Employers can search for trainers who match their needs and specific criteria.
(http://www.trainingconsortium.com)

The Bernard Kleiman JobLink Learning Center in East Chicago, Indiana serves unionized steel mill workers. The Center's research findings explore how to increase participation through improved knowledge of workers' goals and motivations for taking part in training.
(http://www.ncsall.net/?id=217)

Workforce³ One is a new collaborative effort between the US Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (ETA), the Center for Employment Security Education and Research (CESER), which is the 501c3 affiliate of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), and the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). This collaboration represents the merging of national, state, and local leadership into one system that is committed to embracing and installing a demand-driven culture in the publicly funded workforce system.
(http://www.workforce3one.org/)

Profiting from Experience is a new research report that explores how governments and employers in the U.S. and other countries are responding to aging workforce issues.
(http://www.aarp.org/research/work/issues/intl_older_worker.html)

The results of an economic study, Renewing U.S. Manufacturing: Promoting a High-Road Strategy calls for policies to create a highly productive, high-wage economy that would contribute to other critical national goals such as environmental sustainability, energy independence and modernizing infrastructure.
(http://www.sharedprosperity.org/bp212/bp212.pdf)

Growing America Through Entrepreneurship (GATE) is a national demonstration program of the U.S. Department of Labor. Individuals who are awarded a scholarship will receive special training and other assistance to help them explore self-employment.

CareerOneStop's Testing and Assessment Center provides tools and guidelines for employers on skill testing, assessment, credentials and certifications.
(http://www.careeronestop.org/TESTING/TestingAssessmentHome.asp)

Key Survey provides a survey software tool that makes it easy to create online employee surveys. Employers can make use of pre-existing survey templates or create their own specialized and targeted applications with this survey tool.
(http://www.keysurvey.com)

Grants.gov, an E-Government initiative, awards loans and grants to qualified small businesses.
(http://www.grants.gov)

Programs in the Workplace: How to Increase Employer Support is a new report from the Canadian Council on Social Development. It examines approaches to workplace literacy training in Canada that have proven effective in engaging employers in workplace literacy initiatives.
(http://www.ccsd.ca/pubs/2007/literacy)

Incentives to train: Ensuring employer engagement, a UK research report, looks at findings from interviews and a roundtable discussion. Participants evaluated existing provision to incentivise training for employers, identifying the major areas of concern and proposing recommendations for change.
(http://www.nationalskillsforum.org.uk/Incentives_to%20Train%20(2).pdf)

The U.S. Department of Labor's Senior Community Service Employment Program competitively awards funds to pilot programs designed to benefit older workers.
(http://www.doleta.gov/seniors)

GCFLearnFree.org, formerly GCF Global Learning, offers a variety of free online computer, technology, and life skills training programs with support from GCF Community Foundation.
(http://www.GCFLearnFree.org)

Working it Out is a recent study that examines how community colleges across the country successfully deployed the resources of the Workforce Investment Act to benefit their students, local employers and their communities. Challenges met and solved are featured within.
(http://www.mprinc.com/pubs/pdf/Working_It_Out.pdf)

The free Training Payoff Calculator, from Addison, IL-based OneOnOne Computer Training, helps executives calculate the ROI from training. The calculator works with variables, such as the number of people to be trained, average learning time, and costs of training effort to produce projections of profit and ROI.
(http://www.oootraining.com/ooo/support/calculator.html)

STAR is a comprehensive toolkit and training package to help Adult Basic Education (ABE) instructors use evidence-based reading instruction in the classroom.
(http://www.startoolkit.org)

A recent study of Jobs-Plus (a program that aims to boost earnings for people in high-poverty housing developments) offers the first hard evidence that a work-focused intervention based in a public housing environment can effectively promote residents’ self-sufficiency.
(http://www.mdrc.org/publications/430/testimony.html)

This article presents Seven Characteristics of Highly Effective Adult Learning Programs. These are the results of a study that investigated factors in adult learning environments that best facilitate adult growth and development.
(http://www.newhorizons.org/lifelong/workplace/billington.htm)

The President's Small Business Agenda’s web site includes factsheets, events, news and related links to help entrepreneurs prosper. (http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/smallbusiness/)

The United States Small Business Administration works to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by aiding, counseling, assisting and protecting the interests of small businesses. (http://www.sba.gov/)

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Centre offers advice and tools to small businesses to help them address workforce flexibility issues including hiring, training, and retraining a qualified workforce. (http://www.uschamber.com/sb/issues/default)

Working Together on Working Training (1999), a brief for Workforce Innovation Networks (WINs), addresses the advantages of inter-firm cooperation in meeting workforce development needs. Particularly for smaller companies, inter-firm cooperation can improve pre-employment skill development and recruiting, reduce costs for incumbent worker training, lower turnover, and raise productivity. Available from Jobs for the Future (www.jff.org)

From Stakeholders to Partners: Organizing Community Partners for Workforce Development (2000), an Issue Brief from Workforce Innovation Networks (WINs), highlights the skills and qualities of successful collaborative leaders, as well as practical guidelines for developing and maintaining collaboratives among a varied group of stakeholders in workforce development. Available from Jobs for the Future (www.jff.org)

Senior Service America provides a guide for organizations that assist immigrant seniors entering or re-entering the workforce. Practical advice for working with seniors from culturally diverse backgrounds and on facilitating interactions between immigrant seniors and other staff are included. (http://www.seniorserviceamerica.org/)

CAELA offers a digest on planning, implementing and evaluating workplace ESL programs. (http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/digests/PLANNINGQA.html)

CAELA offers a digest on integrating employment skills in adult ESL instruction. (http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/digests/EskilsQA.html)

The Online Navigator of the United States Chamber of Commerce provides access to resources for hiring new employees or training and educating existing staff. It helps employers connect to available resources at low or no cost.
(http://www.uschamber.com/cwp/navigator/default.htm)

The Community-Based Job Training Investment Center of the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment & Training Administration allows you to search for grants by grantee, industry or state. Community-Based Job Training Grants are new, employer-focused competitive grants for training in community and technical colleges.
(http://www.doleta.gov/BRG/CBJTGrants/)

The Small Business Training Network, sponsored by the Office of Entrepreneurial Development, is a virtual campus housing free training courses, workshops and knowledge resources designed to assist entrepreneurs.
(http://www.sba.gov/training/)

workforceUSA.net is designed for the day-to-day needs of workforce development practitioners. It provides an extensive "virtual" library of concrete tools and other kinds of materials to support the various activities or "functions" performed by workforce development professionals.
(http://www.workforceusa.net)

This article shares research findings on whether workplaces continue to fund programs that were initiated with public funds. One strategy is to offer so-called "seed" funding grants to partnerships between businesses and literacy providers.
(http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=623)

Workforce³ One is a new collaborative effort between the US Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (ETA), the Center for Employment Security Education and Research (CESER), which is the 501c3 affiliate of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), and the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). This collaboration represents the merging of national, state, and local leadership into one system that is committed to embracing and installing a demand-driven culture in the publicly funded workforce system.
(http://www.workforce3one.org/)

Bestimation is a report that looks at how imaginative use of calculators can enhance learning in adult numeracy classes. It suggests activities to develop estimation and problem-solving skills, providing learners with opportunities for self-directed learning. (http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=108)

Making the Connections is a guidebook designed to help employer associations serve their members in workforce development needs. This guidebook focuses on workforce development for entry-level positions.
(http://www.jff.org/Documents/MakingConnect.pdf)