Assessing Continuing Education Needs in Small Geographically Dispersed Industries.

Overview & Synopsis

In 1978, the National Science Foundation awarded the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh $50,000 to determine the continuing education needs of technically-trained persons employed in small, geographically dispersed industries. Thirty companies which employed fewer than 500 people and which were likely to employ scientists, engineers, and technicians were randomly selected from 1,255 firms located in non-urban areas in central and northern Wisconsin. Investigative instruments included a semi-structured interview, president's questionnaire, company continuing education policy questionnaire, and a technical employee's questionnaire. Preliminary results indicate: (1) most small companies record an employee's participation in continuing education but few give formal rewards for participation; (2) workshops, seminars, and conferences are the most likely types of continuing education to be fully financed by companies, while college credit and non-credit courses are primarily partially funded; (3) companies are reluctant to give employees released time for continuing education; (4) the most effective type of continuing education is that conducted in workshops, seminars, and conferences, while correspondence courses are least effective; and (5) presidents of corporations and employees indicate continuing education is important in improving job performance but not in personal development. (RC)