ADED 4970: Special Topics (Workforce Development)

This article presents a perspective on the relationship between adult education and human resource development of
the past two decades and the subsequent emergence of workforce development. The lesson taken from the article
should be more than simply a recounting of events related to these fields of study. Instead, the more general lesson
may be to illustrate again the dynamic of how applied fields of study emerge. That is, as societal issues of importance occur, existing processes and information are often used out of necessity by practitioners to address the issues, which in turn promotes reflections mostly from the academic community about what was done. For some professionals, the evolving cycle is painful to experience because it often calls for fundamental change in their known
intellectual territory. Alternately, such change should be embraced to ensure the continuing societal relevance of the
field of study.

This chapter describes the complexities of workforce development in the United States and the components of this system that are particularly relevant for preparing skilled technical workers. Section 4.1 introduces the quasi-public characteristic of education and training. Section 4.2 describes the primary components of workforce development, including career and technical education (CTE) and degree-granting postsecondary education and training programs. Section 4.3 examines other postsecondary education and training programs, including apprenticeship, certificate, and certification programs, that do not confer a degree. Section 4.4 reviews key funding sources for skilled technical workforce education and training, including federal, state, and employer sources. Section 4.5 presents conclusions.