NLA Discussion: Welfare Policy

[Brenda Peters]

In regard to Pam Wall's vision of what the model of adult literacy post
Welfare reform, I agree with much of her view
in terms of rethinking the workplace as a lifelong learning classroom. The
problem I have is with the last statement- which sees the trend for policy
to consider business and the employer the customer-not the learner. In our
economy driven system, I see where we could easily be led into believing
that business is the customer. However, I am quite uncomfortable with that
prospect, given the pandora's box of agenda(s) and baggage that brings to
the table. The learner needs to always be the customer and history has
shown that businesses don't necessarily act in the best interests of
learners, employees, etc, especially in the late 20th century. 
I don't see any other trend options on the horizon, but I do believe that
education needs to loudly articulate the needs and focus on the adult
learner's support and means to successfully meet the challenges in a new
and different workplace, and as a family member and citizen.

Brenda Peters
Albany, NY
At 10:11 PM 1/28/98 EST, you wrote:
>
>Concerning the Welfare reform efforts:
>
>Because literacy and GED programming are not "allowable" welfare to work
>activities in a time of escalating basic skill requirements, and because of
>the short term nature of job preparation time lines, new human resource
>development models should evolve in which the workplace becomes the
classroom.
>Although internships and short-term job placements have always been part of
>job training, we are entering a period of policy which leaves us no choice
but
>to follow our learners into the workplace rather than sentence them to
>stagnant, low paying, entry level status forever.
>
>Most of the traditional on-the-job-training placements, community work
>experience placements, and school-to-work work site placements today place
the
>burden of training at work upon the employers.  There is usually no formal
>training curriculum delivered by a trained instructor, nor a structured
set of
>experiences implemented over time for the new worker to gain new skills for
>entry level jobs and beyond.   Presently a strong model in vocational
>rehabilitation, the use of job developers, job coaches, on-site trainers from
>outside providers, and literacy delivered on the clock by third parties must
>become the norm.  The "policy" leaves us no choice.  Post-employment and re-
>employment services will become the strength of successful programs which
>serve unemployed adults.  In an education system driven by economics, job
>placements and similar indicators will determine our funding.  The trend I
see
>is that policy makers consider the employer and business the customer, not
the
>learner.
>
>Pam Wall, Director
> LA State Literacy Resource Center
>
>
>