National Council for Workforce Education » Articles http://www.ncwe.org The Workforce and Economic Development Professionals Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:54:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Recession Puts Michigan’s Focus on Adult Ed Reforms http://www.ncwe.org/2010/06/26/recession-puts-michigans-focus-on-adult-ed-reforms/ http://www.ncwe.org/2010/06/26/recession-puts-michigans-focus-on-adult-ed-reforms/#comments Sat, 26 Jun 2010 22:46:05 +0000 darrahle http://www.ncwe.org/?p=2200 Michigan’s ongoing recession has laid bare a problem that was easier to overlook in the boom times of the late 1990s. Nearly 700,000 of the state’s working-age adults don’t have a high school diploma or GED certificate. Many of those who do nonetheless lack the basic skills a high school graduate is supposed to have. And the economy is leaving them behind.

The state’s elected officials left them behind years ago. In 2001, Michigan’s adult education programs, which include adult basic education, GED preparation and English as a second language, got $80 million from the state. This year, it was $22 million. Enrollment has fallen by half, hitting a low of 28,243 last year. Programs have contracted, shut their doors.

Matthew Miller Lansing State Journal
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]]> http://www.ncwe.org/2010/06/26/recession-puts-michigans-focus-on-adult-ed-reforms/feed/ 0 A New Approach to Career Navigation for Working Learners http://www.ncwe.org/2010/03/15/a-new-approach-to-career-navigation-for-working-learners/ http://www.ncwe.org/2010/03/15/a-new-approach-to-career-navigation-for-working-learners/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:16:59 +0000 darrahle http://www.ncwe.org/?p=1910 This paper details both the inadequacy of the career navigation assistance now available and why the United States needs a new approach. The first section describes the urgent need, which has been exacerbated by recent trends in the economy. The second section showcases promising models of career navigation that have emerged—created by community colleges, employers, labor unions, public workforce systems, and community-based organizations—but remain small boutique enterprises. The third section envisions a more robust national approach to career navigation services for working adults and explores both design principles and challenges. Finally, the paper recommends next steps and federal policy actions that would move us closer to achieving that vision.

Vickie Choitz, Louis Soares, and Rachel Pleasants
American Progress
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