Private Sector Participation with Postsecondary Occupational Education Programs: Study Summary and Policy Recommendations

A study collected and examined information on the nature and extent of business and postsecondary occupational program linkages. Findings from a survey of 661 employers indicated the following: (1) three-fourths had some involvement with postsecondary institutions; (2) modes of involvement identified most often were employee recruitment, advisory committees, cooperative education/internships, and training attended by current employees; (3) incentives for employers were source for recruitment, provision of expertise for better trained employees, and improved productivity of current employees; (4) barriers were inflexibility of postsecondary institutions, perceived disinterest in employer advice, and time constraints; and (5) the most effective strategy to promote involvement was personal contacts. Findings from telephone interviews with 76 administrators indicated that they perceived