Career Education--A Proposal for Reform.

Overview & Synopsis

Besides defining the concept of career education and reporting on its current implementation, the book portrays the rapidly changing career education scene. The author traces the emergence of the career education concept by examining the influences of leaders, events, and changing public attitudes. Significant changes reflect the humanizing of work, the emergence of midcareer retraining, and work values versus the work ethic. Drawing on various references, Marland demonstrates that the American people want educational institutions to equip students for "growing up to work." Specific attention is directed to education/earnings correlations, unemployment costs, and the job market. Also examined are issues raised by critics related to effects on minority groups and women, manpower needs, higher education, vocational education, and intellectual aspects. Detailed descriptions are provided on career education developments in Georgia, California, Oregon, and Texas. The final section deals with the processes of reform that will determine the actuality of career education: teacher and counselor involvement and training, higher education role, school/business/labor relationship, and Federal Funding. Change at the higher education level is oriented to "inclusiveness" rather than exclusiveness. Concluding chapters focus on Federal role and support as performed by the National Institute of Education and the Office of Education. (EA)