IDEKTERS *Collaborative Councils
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# Pr DOCUMENT RESUME ED 219 544 CE 033 212 AU7HOR G91d, Gerard G.; And Others TITLE Industry-Education-Labor Collaboxation. Policies and Practices it Perspective. INSTITUTION National Inst. for Work and Learning, Washington, D.C. SPONS AGENCY Office of Vocational ay Adult Education (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE 82 CONTRACT 300-7%70691 NOTE 212p.; For related documents'see -ED 206 906-907. 4 AVAILABLE FROMPublications, The National Institute for,Work and Learning, Center for Education and Work, Suite 501,* 1302 18th St., N.W., Washington Dt20036 ($25.00). EDRS' PRICE ( MF01/PC09 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Career Development; Career Education; *Community Cooperation; *Cooperative Planning; *Cooperative Programs; Education Work Relationship; Elementary 'Secondary Education; Institutional Cooperation; Policy Formation; *Program Implementation; Public a Policy; *School Business Relationship; School Community Relationship; Vocational Education IDEKTERS *Collaborative Councils ABSTRACT Industry, labor, and educational institutions are entering a new period of enthusiasm for mutual cooperation and alliantes within Communities. Local collaborative councils bringing together leaders from business, labor, government, and education are demonstrating anew the community-level leadership that is essential to create and establish a new national consensus about the purposes / and functions of education institutions. But, according to this study, conducted through a review of literature and an examination of local collaborative councils, these.are still pioneer activities without well established structures. Basic findings of the Audy are that (1) existing relationships between education institutions and the business sector are dbmplex, whilp relationships with the labor ec or are being built from a very limited base of prior contacts; attention to the nee'ds of collaboration withteducation is being given by business leaders epecially as a focus on the elementary and .1/4 secondary schoOls; (3) gradually, more interaction among education, -business, and labor is leading to new patterns for education and trainiv; and (i) career eddcation and career development activities have been the focus taken by local collaborative councils. Recommendations are made,for improvements in the collection and ' dissemination of information essential to the creation of effective progruns of industry-education-labor collaboration nationwide; for improvements ih the leadership of collaborative activities; and for federal and state government actions encouraging such collaboration. (KC) 41. Industry- (9. \ Education- Labor Collaboration plicies and Practices In Perspective By Gerard G. Gold, Steven M. Jung, and David S. Bushnell err Industry-Education-Labor/Collaboration Project Center iior Education and Work National Institute for Work and Learning U,S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION , Washington, D.C. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION EDUCAIIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION 1982 CENTER IFRIC) /hisdocument has been reproducedas ieceived from forrpersonOfownerabon Prepaed for nrigmateutit Meno,hanges have beenmade to improve cepioduc von quality U.S. Department of Education Po.fIts ofvreVv oropinions stated on this docu mem do notner essanly represent ottectalNIE Posmoo.orpolw* ' Office of Vocational and Adult Education 2 a V 1 The research reported herein was performedpurtuant to contract 000790691 with .theOffice of Adult and Vocational Education, U.S. Department of Education: Contractors undertaking such pOjects undtr Government sponsorship are enOuraged to express freely their profession 1 judgment in the,conductof the project:* Points of d7 view or opintonsstated do not, therefore, necess rily representofficial ,Department of Education position orpolicy. i- I 4 *US. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OF FICE 1982 174-461/10251-1 3 p. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page -ACKNOWLEDGMENTS REPORT SUMMARY I. ON NEUTRAL TURF: AN INTRODUCTION TO COLLABORATIVE COUNCILS 1 THE COMPLEX STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION RELATIONSIVPS WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR -17 III. THE STATUS OF COLLABORATIVE COUNCILS 58 IV. ON BUILDING NETWORKS OF COLLABORATIVE COUNCILS 103 V. ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF COLABORATIVE COUNCILS 133 VI. THE ROLE OF STATES IN I STRY-EDUCATION- LABOR COLLABORATION 149 VII. RECOMMENDATIONS 177 -1 4 ow' ACKNOWLEDgEMENTS This volume is itself a working paper. In the past few years, the concepts and practices of collaboration and community-centered problem- solving have mod from the periphery of publid policy to center stage. The search is oniora proper and effective relationship between local initi4ives and the larger private and public policies supporting those initiatives. This volume describes some early aspects of these major shifts in attitudes, ideas, and actions. 0," Recognition of the role of education and training as crucial factors in the quality and economic viability of American life has been growing a faster than these pages could be written. As one piece in this geometrically growing literature, this volume is intended to help connect the rhetoric of local industry-education-labor collaboration to its realopportunihes. The qualityf the volume is, of course, solely the responsibility. 44 of the authors. Stev4n Jung is particularly respdhsible for Chapter V, David ashnell for Chapter VI1, and Gerard Gold for the remainder. But / numerous thanks are owed to those who have answered our questions,provided 4 us with their own research findings, explained to us their experiences, and helped us arrive at our own points of view. Voremost among these,are the many tarticipants in local collaborative councils. Their thoughts and descriptions of local events have contributed 'mightily to all four vroject publications. These individuals and the many representatives of k-he business, labor, and education sectors from whom we also learned, are the ultimateaudience for our efforts. es, As our project officer at the U.S. Department of Education, David H. Piitchard was a sure and steady source of advice, counsel, information, and,patience (and useful impatience), always provided with enthusiasm. He has been an invaluable ally in our efforts to make this' project a contribution to ideas and activities it describes. Within the Institute, assistance of many kinds was receivAe from almost everyone at one time or another. Richard Ungerer and Johll Rankin. in particular were counted on for support and deserve specialrntion. Jane Hutchins and Allison Gay performed the typing of themanu tpt with more good spirit than was deserved. Jane Shore and Julia French were especially helpful in research for Chapter IV. At the American Institu es for Research, several of our colleagues made major contributionsko our thinking.Herb Rubenstein, Jeanette Wheeler, SusanrMcBalln,and Robert Rossi performed admirably in planning and con- ducting site visits whose findings are reported in Chapter V. Members of the Panel of Experts, named on the inside back cover, I. were particularly helpful in shaping the direction of this volume And in reviewing the project recommendations. A special thanks is given tojamela Tate and Jane Gold for their perceptive:editorial comments on an earlier version II published elsewhere 6 ii INDUSTRY-EDUCATION-LABOR COLLABORATION PROJECT Report Summary Industry, labor, and education institutions are entering a newperiod of enthusiasm for mutual cooperation and alliancesWithin communities.' The major policyquestionkregarding this enthusiasm have far4ess to do with options for federal government leadershipand'far more to do with .., he leadership capacities of local and stateinstitutions representing \ / ....2 Government can encourage, but others must"do" Incm-governmentalwctors. *, collaboration. Will the6e leaders produce more effectivelearning and employment \ opportunities for young people and adults becauseof the collaborative projects they initiate? Or will these recent enthusiasms dissipate as a , - result of frustrations, unforeseencomplexieies, and a lack of true collaborative commitmen; in the face of the very realprdblems/confronting Americad education and'the American economy?Will there arise in fact a new, sustained coalition to createprivate and public sector support for the purposes, methods and financing ofAmerican education at the- elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels? Will a new poalition devise appropriate private and public policies to tacklethe education and training needs of Youth and working adults? Local collaborative kzuncils bringing togetherleaders fr business, labor, government, and'education deserve specialattention beca,se they are demonstrating anew thecommunity-level.leadership that isessenteal to create and establish a newnatIonal consensus about the purposes and ( functions of education institu4ons generally and public secondary schools most particularly. But, this study concludes, collaborative councils and industry-education-labor collaboration generallyare still pioneer activities without well-established structures. Only as invest- ments in human resources gain a stature equivalent to investments.in technology will innovation in business-education-labor f o the periphery toward center stage of corporate, union, and eduCation concer s. Collaborative councils are but one among many linking mechanisms for industry-education-labor collaboratvion. The complexity of opportunities for relationships is desc'ribed and analyzed in some detail in the first tv76 chapters. \\I Chapters three th'rough five address the specific characteristics,. .7 accomplishments, And limitations of locally