identify strategies for improving the measurable performance of mandated training programs. Each year, corporate
America provides nearly 2 billion hours of training to approximately 60 million employees at a cost of $55 to $60
billion (Industry report; 1997). Effectiveness research can maximize the impact of this investment on worker safety,
productivity, and profits. To equip America’s workforce with the skills necessary in today’s economy, the U. S.
Departments of Education and Labour have recently cosponsored several initiatives that reflect the national
importance of worker training. Examples of such programs follow: School-to-work established through the Schoolto-Work
Opportunities Act of 1994, links school programs to local businesses and civic organizations. Employers
and educators combine resources to provide skill training and job placement. Currently, funding for School-to-Work
programming is being transferred to State and local authorities. Tech-Prep is a broad initiative of the Carl D. Perkins
Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998. This program teaches students transferrable skills and abilities that
employers favor when selecting personnel. These include the “hard” skills needed to perform tasks and the “soft”
skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and leadership.