3 Why Do Companies Provide Workplace Education Programs?

In recent years, increasing attention has been drawn to the plight of people with low levels of education. Since the 1970s, lower skilled workers have borne the brunt of economic changes that have left them worse off in both relative and absolute terms (Levy & Murnane, 1992). On this conclusion there is scant debate. There is, however, considerable debate over the pro-posed solutions. A perennial candidate is increased basic skills. For the adult population, this means continuing education provided outside of the K–12 school system. A key component of that education delivery system is workplace-based education and training programs. It is the purpose of the chapter to sort through what is and is not known about company-provided training and to identify the implications for future practice and research. Specifically, I address the following: • The extent to which companies provide basic skills training and their reasons for doing so. • The distinction between basic skills training, broadly construed, an