- A -

Accessibility – extent to which a program or services can be reached by those who want or need them

Agriculture/Mining/Construction - Organizations such as agriculture producers: mining, oil exploration, and extraction companies; construction companies; fisheries; and forestry.

Annual performance reviews - A systematic, periodic review and analysis of an employees job performance by a superior, to compare that performance to a set of predetermined standards, identify strengths and weaknesses, and develop a plan to improve an employees performance

Apprenticeship training - A formal process by which individuals learn their jobs through a combination of classroom instruction and on-the-job training from a skilled expert in their specific job.

Assessment - collecting and analyzing information to make judgments about the learning progress of individuals or groups; also, techniques, devices, or instruments used to collect evidence, ranging from formal and standardized (such as TABE) to criterion referenced (CRTs) to alternative (portfolios) to informal (observation checklists)

- B -

Baseline Information – information that is collected before a program begins to provide a basis for planning, implementation, and evaluation

Basic Skills Course - Development and/or remedial training fundamental to the workplace in courses such as literacy, reading comprehension, writing, math, English as a second language and learning how to learn

Benchmarking – continuous, systematic process for evaluating products, services, or work processes of programs or organizations for the purpose of improvement

Business Size - Small - fewer than 100 employees, Medium - 100-500 employees, or Large - over 500 employees

- C -

CareerLink – Pennsylvanias one-stop delivery system of employment, education, and training services available to job seekers, those who want to further their careers, and employers; universal access gained virtually through websites and through regional CareerLink sites

CareerLink Operators – responsible for administering CareerLink sites; may range from simply coordinating services providers to being a primary provider of services

CBT (text only) - Any learning event that is text-based and computer delivered

CD-ROM - A format and system for recording, storing and retrieving electronic information on a compact disc that is read using an optical drive

Collaborative Learning - education environment that stresses interaction among learners and with instructors, mutual support and respect rather than competition, and the construction rather than transmission of knowledge; learners often work together in pairs or small groups on a common problem

Computer Literacy and Applications - Training in the use of computer software, including off-the - shelf applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, graphics and communications, among others.  Also includes training in company specific software applications.  Does not include training in computer programming languages. 

Content Standards – describe the range of desirable knowledge and skills within a subject area

Contextualized Instruction - developing skills, knowledge, and attitudes in the context in which they will be used, using real-life materials and situations from that context

Continuous Improvement – commitment to improving performance using a team approach to decision making using systematic collection and analysis of performance data

Core Services – refers to universally available services through the CareerLink system for all individuals and employers; core services for individuals include initial assessment, job search assistance, information about labor market, financial aid, providers, and support services. Core services for employers include orientation to CareerLink system, multiple methods to list job openings, access to resumes, job matching, information on training providers, human resources and labor market

Cost-Benefit Analysis - process to compare the costs of establishing an intervention (such as a workplace education program) with the benefits (such as increased productivity, less waste or fewer errors, lower absenteeism, better communication)

Critical Incident - event, action, or behavior in the workplace that is systematically analyzed and discussed to improve behavior or performance

Customer Service - Training on how to maintain or improve customer relations.  Includes repair, upgrading, or maintenance of products. Includes training for customer service and call center operators

Customers – learners enrolled in adult education programs; in the larger context of the workforce development system, refers to job seekers, those who want to further their career, and employers

Customized Instruction - specially designed curriculum and instruction tailored to meet the specific needs, goals, and interests of a certain group/s (such as employers and workers)

- D -

DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) – approach to job task analysis that specifies in detail the tasks that successful workers must perform on the job

Documentation of individual competencies - A formal record of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of an organizations employees in key, predefined areas.

Durable Manufacturing - Manufacturers of durable goods such as wood products, stone and glass, fabricated metal products, machines and electrical equipment, and transportation equipment.

- E -

Electronic Mail - The exchange of messages through computers

Electronics Performance Support System (EPSS) -  An integrated computer application that uses any combination of expert systems, hypertext, embedded animation, and/or hypermedia to help a user perform a task in real time quickly and with a minimum of support by other people

Employee access to key business information - An organizational policy in which all employees are given access to certain financial and market information about the competitive position of the firm.

Employee involvement with management in business decisions - An organizational policy in which management employees have a say in decisions including equipment purchases, market strategy, and management initiatives that affect the firm.

Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) -  A plan under which the company credits shares of company stock to participating employees.  The amount may be available immediately or at retirement.

Employer-supported conference attendance - Paid time off or payment of employee travel, hotel, fees, and other expenses attending an off-site conference or training class.

Equipped for the Future (EFF) – National Institute for Literacys initiative to develop a standards-based approach to reforming the adult literacy field and improving linkages between public and private programs that support adults

Evaluation - process of collecting and analyzing data on various aspects of a program, usually for the purpose of program planning and goal setting, securing funding, improving processes and outcomes, and allocating resources. Includes formative (collecting and analyzing data to focus on "what's working and what needs to be improved") and summative (collecting and analyzing to investigate "what's been achieved" in a program)

Extranet - A collaborative network that uses internet technology to link organizations with their suppliers, customers and other organizations that share common goals or information

Executive Development - Programs that develop the leadership and vision of current and potential senior executives.  Such programs focus on responsibilities and challenges for leading corporate-wide initiatives and/ or major business units. Includes strategic planning, policy and goal; setting

- F -

Foundation Skills – essential core skills and knowledge that all emerging, incumbent, and transitional workers need to function effectively and safely in any workplace; they are keyed to effective performance in a broad range of jobs, used together (integrated), and are portable across workplaces; they apply to both those who speak English and those who are learning to speak English as a Second Language (ESL)

Finance/Insurance/Real Estate - Organizations such as banks and other credit institutions, insurance companies, securities brokers, and real estate companies.

- G -

Government - Federal, state, and local government organizations or agencies. 

Group/Team-based compensation - An alternative pay system in which employees receive all or a portion of compensation depending on the performance of their particular team or work force.

Groupware - An integrated computer application that supports collaborative group efforts through sharing of calendars for project management and scheduling, collective document preparation, e-mail handling, shared database access, electronic meetings, and other activities

- H -

Health Care - Organizations such as hospitals, clinics, doctors offices, and home care companies

Higher Order Skills - thinking skills used to integrate basic skills and knowledge to solve problems, make decisions, and better understand information, situations, and people. They include critical and creative thinking as well as metacognition (being aware of and managing one's thoughts and thought processes)

High Performance Organization (HPO) - workplace in which employees solve problems, improve the work process, and monitor the quality of the product or service through increased communication, feedback, and teamwork; committed to excellence, product quality, and customer satisfaction

Human Resources Investment Council (HRIC) – Pennsylvanias state workforce investment board; a public/private partnerships to provide strategic planning, program coordination, and evaluation of PAs workforce training efforts

- I -

Incentive compensation- An alternative pay system in which employees receive all or a portion of compensation depending on their own performance.  Examples of incentive compensation systems include piece-rates, sales commissions, and pay-for-performance.

Incumbent Workers – individuals who are already employed; may include recent hires as well as individuals who have been employed for some length of time

Individual development plans - A specific course of action designed jointly by an employee and a supervisor to outline the employees career development objectives and associated training needs.

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) - written education plan for individual learners including action plan, goals and objectives, and timetable; usually developed jointly by educators, counselors , and learners; individualized employment plans will be available through the CareerLink system to enable individuals to plan a career path

Individual Training/Learning Account – established under WIA to focus training spending from block grants to an individual voucher system (Individual Learning Account is PAs pilot program)

Information Technology - Organizations such as computer, electronics, and communications equipment manufacturers; software designers; telecommunications services; and information technology services and consulting firms.

Intensive Services - refers to services available through the CareerLink system for individuals and employers. Intensive services are available to adults and dislocated workers who are unemployed or underemployed and include comprehensive assessment, individual employment/education plan, group counseling, individual career planning, and case management. Intensive services for employers include job profiling, seminars and workshops, customized assessments, increase linkages with other employers, and entrepreneurial and federal procurement assistance.

Interagency Coordinating Council – created under the state Adult Basic and Literacy Education Act 42 of 1996 to develop recommendations to improve the delivery and outcomes of basic skills services in the state

Interactive TV - One-way video combined with two-way audio or other electronic response system.

Internet - A loose confederation of computer networks around the world connected through several primary networks.

Interpersonal Communication - Training in communication and cooperation among individuals and groups, including conflict resolution, diversity training, teamwork, and group dynamics

International Standardization Organization (ISO) 9000 - international standards for quality assurance management systems; establishes an organizational structure for ensuring consistent and agreed upon level of quality of production of goods and services; many countries and companies will not do business with companies that do not meet these standards

Intranet - A general term describing any network contained within an organization; used to refer primarily to networks that use internet technology

- J -

Job Task Analysis – process of breaking a job task into its component parts and sequencing the parts in order of importance for performing the job

Job Rotation or Cross Training - Programs in which employees are trained to do multiple jobs, or employees rotate among different jobs.

Job-specific Technical Skills - training that focuses on the procedures, including the use of technology, to create products, deliver services, or engage in business processes.  Typically provided to workers who use technology or machinery in their jobs

- K -

Knowledge/Skill-based pay - An alternative pay system in which compensation is linked to the mastery of certain skills or work-related information, rather than to employee position or length of tenure

- L -

Learning Technologies - Electronic technologies to deliver information and facilitate the development of skills and knowledge

Line-on-loan or rotational training staff - A formal process in which nontraining personnel are assigned training duties such as instruction or course design on a temporary basis

Literacy Task Analysis (or audit) - systematic approach (similar to job task analysis) to identify and prioritize the basic or foundation skills and knowledge needed to complete a job task; results can be used to develop customized workplace basic skills instruction

Local area network (LAN) - A network of computers sharing the resources of a single processor or server within a relatively small geographic area

- M -

Malcolm Baldridge Education Criteria for Performance Excellence – self-assessment that allows education providers to use criteria to identify organizational strengths and to target key opportunities for program improvement and performance excellence. Measures a wide range of key organizational performance indicators of learner/stakeholder outcomes, education service and outcomes, and operations

Management Supervisor - Training to improve the ability and effectiveness of managers and supervisors.  Topics include resource management, project and process management , and planning and budgeting

Mandatory annual training time - An organizational policy stating a minimum requirement for the amount of training that certain employees must receive in a given year

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – an agreement developed and executed between the local workforce investment and all WIA-mandated CareerLink partners relating to the operation of the CareerLink system in the local area; may be developed as a single umbrella MOU or individual agreements with partners

Mentoring - serving as a model for others who are inexperienced; includes both the physical modeling of a task or behavior as well as the mental (thinking) steps required to effectively perform the task or behavior

Multimedia - A computer application that uses any combination of text, graphics, audio, animation, and/or full motion video

- N -

New Employee Orientation - Training designed to provide new employees with complete and uniform information about the company, and its organization, mission, functions and policies, compensation, benefits, services, work requirements, standards, rules, safe work habits and employee/manager relations

Nondurable Manufacturing - Manufacturers of nondurable goods such as food and beverages, apparel, textiles, plastics and chemicals, paper and pulp, rubber, petroleum products, and leather, includes printers, publishers, and refineries

 - O -

Occupational Safety/Compliance -Training provided to meet environmental health and safety requirements, Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action requirements, right-to -know and government-mandated training

Occupational Skill Standards – U.S. Departments of Labor and Education and National Skill Standards Board (NSSB) initiative to establish a national system of voluntary occupational skill standards and occupations Organizational Approach - in a workplace education program, examines basic skills within the context of workplace culture and other workplace issues; recognizes that learning and using skills is integrated into all aspects of an organization

Other Expenditures - Training facilities expenses, payments to parent company or subsidiary for training, internally produced course materials, catalogs, and internal marketing materials, travel expenses for training staff and training administration costs

Outcome Measures – (from National Reporting System) include educational gain, entered employment, retained employment, receipt of secondary school diploma or GED and placement in postsecondary education or training

Outside Payments - Payments to outside trainers or to outside training companies that provided training or training services to employees

- P -

PA Workforce Improvement Network (PA WIN) – statewide coordination, training, and support system for ABLE providers of customized high quality workplace education programs

Participatory Approach - all members of a group or organization have the opportunity to contribute through inquiry and reflection to the activities of the group; a democratic process in which the power is shared equally, with individuals having substantial amounts of control and responsibility

Partnerships - collaborative partnerships establish common goals and agree to pool resources, jointly plan, implement and evaluate partnership activities. Cooperative partnerships involve partners who help each other to meet respective organization goals, without making substantial changes in the services each provide.

Peer review of performance or 360 degree feedback - A performance appraisal system in which employees work performance is evaluated (at least in part) by coworkers

Performance Standards – benchmarks, or specified levels of achievement, for expectations for educational outcomes that provide a basis for measuring learning outcomes

Professional Skills - Training in a specialized body of knowledge or expertise such as accounting, engineering, manufacturing systems, computer science, optics, electronics, mechanics, material science, chemistry, physics, legal, medical, financial services, banking, and consulting.  This category of training is discipline and or industry specific

Profit sharing or Gain sharing - A plan under which the company credits shares of company profits or growth to participating employees.  The amount may be available immediately or at retirement  

Program Quality Indicator – program characteristics or practices that provide evidence of the ability of the adult education program to deliver services, to satisfy customer (learner or employer) needs and aspirations, to continuously improve, and to be accountable.

- Q -

Quality Competition and Business Practices - Training in Total Quality Management, business process re-engineering, bench-marking, resource planning or business fundamentals

Quality Consciousness – knowing how and why inspection is performed to ensure quality, how quality is achieved, and ones role in contributing to quality

Qualitative Data - data that are characterized by narrative description and interpretation; collection and interpretation of data is not constrained by predetermined categories or responses

 - R -

Rate – indicates number of participants the program successfully enrolled and who completed the program; work retention is the number of employees who were retained in a job over a period of time

Release Time – when employers allow workers to take time off work to participate in education or training activities; may be paid or unpaid release time Retention 

- S -

Sales and Dealer- Training provided to the sales force, franchises and dealers about the products and services they market and sell; how to demonstrate the effectiveness of their products and services; and how to develop the attitudes, skills, and habits needed to influence the purchasing decisions of prospects and customers

Satellite TV - transmission of television signals via satellites.

SCANS – Secretarys Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills: formed in 1990 to examine the skills demands of the modern workplace and determine whether the current and future workforce is prepared to meet those needs. Identified five core competencies (resources, interpersonal skills, information, systems, and technology) and three foundations (basic skills, thinking skills, and personal qualities) that are necessary for workplace success

Services - Organizations such as hotels; business and personal services; automotive repair companies; professional services; educational, legal, social and other consumer services. 

Self-directed work teams - Groups of employees with complete responsibility for the quality and quantity or their outputs. Self-directed work teams may have responsibility for work schedules, performance appraisals, personnel management, budgeting, or setting performance targets and production quotas.  

Simulator - A device or system that replicates or imitates a real device or system

Skill certification - A formal process used to ascertain and distinguish the mastery of a set of skills according to predefined standards.  May be linked to either a particular occupation or trade, or a particular job or process.  

Statistical Process Control (SPC) - system of charting and analyzing statistical information about the production and service delivery process at several points along the process

- T -

Task forces, problem solving teams, or quality circles - Groups of employees that meet regularly to come up with solutions to problems concerning people and productivity.  

Teleconferencing - The instantaneous exchange of audio, video or text between two or more individuals or groups at two or more locations

Total Quality Management (TQM) - An integrated approach to organizational improvement and increasing production and service quality whose core ideas include doing things right the first time, striving for continuous improvement, and a devotion to understanding and meeting customer needs.

Trade - Organizations such as retail and food stores; home furnishings and equipment stores; general merchandise stores and food and beverage facilities; apparel and accessory stores; building materials, hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers; and wholesale trade or distributors.  

Training Information System - A computer-based system for assessing, tracking, and improving employee performance.  Systems may include employee training history reports, training course scheduling and registration, individual development plans, and training expenditure tracking

Training Resource Center - A designated area within an establishment where training personnel, materials, and information are relocated.

Train-the-trainer Courses -Training courses that teach nontraditional training staff members such as managers, subject matter experts, and team leader skills such as instructional design and group facilitation to enable them to deliver formal training to other establishment employees.  

Transportation/Public Utilities -Organizations such as power, water, and gas utilities; trucking and warehousing companies; airlines and railroads; water transportation companies; and parcel services.

Transitional Workers – those who lose their jobs because of plant closings or layoffs and those who leave a job for any reason and are seeking employment and/or education and training

Tuition reimbursement - Partial or full payment for courses that employees took at educational institutions (can be either paid to the institutions or reimbursed to employees).  

- U -

- V -

Value-Added Outcome - idea or suggestion that has led to significant savings or improvements in processes or outcomes Waste –scrap or rejection rate of the number of goods or services that did not meet minimum quality standards

Virtual Reality - A computer application that provides an interactive, immersive and three-dimensional learning experience though fully-functional, realistic models

Voicemail - An automated, electronic telephone answering system

 - W -

Wages of Training Staff - Wages and salaries of all full-time training personnel, not including benefits, including managers and administrative support

Wide area network (WAN) -  A network of computers sharing the resources of one or more processors or servers over a relatively large geographic area

Worker-Centered Education - curriculum and instruction that focuses on workers' experiences and construction of knowledge rather than those of the instructors or employers

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 – federal legislation designed to coordinate and streamline all components of the nations workforce development system, including employment, job training, education, and vocational rehabilitation services for youth (ages 14-21), adults, and dislocated workers

Workforce Education – includes ABE, GED, and ESL services designed to demonstrate a strong relationships between basic skills and the literacy requirements of a changing workplace; improves the foundation skills of adults entering the workforce and dislocated workers as they prepare for job training and employment or new occupations

Workplace Education – ABLE programs that are planned and delivered through business/education partnerships and provide customized work-related basic (or foundation) skills instruction to those already employed and in need of more advanced skills to maintain or advance in their jobs