Writings: U.S., 2010-2021

This 61-page document (updated in March 2021) was written for the Open Door Collective.  It provides brief descriptions of over 200 on-line resources (e.g., reports, curricula) related to various aspects of work-related adult basic education.  These resources (which include works going back four decades) are organized in the following categories: 

• Work-Readiness, College Transition, and Career Pathways
• Work-Readiness for Particular Industries
• Workplace Education for Incumbent Workers
• Tools for Assessing Worker Basic Skills
• Tools for Program Planning and Evaluation
• Work-Related Basic Education in the U.S.: Local, State, and National Policy
• Interpretations of How to Make Workplace Education Relevant and Effective
• Employer Perspectives
• Labor Union Perspectives
• International Perspectives.       

• “What Universities Can Do to Strengthen U.S. Adult Basic Skills Efforts” is a 20-page (January 2019) document that describes why and how universities can support U.S. adult basic skills efforts. They can do this through research, professional development of stakeholders, upgrading of the basic skills of university employees and local residents, providing of in-kind resources to local programs, and leadership and advocacy.  It is one a series of “Can-Do Guides” designed and written by Paul Jurmo for the Open Door Collective.  

• “What Re-Entry Services Can Do to Strengthen the Basic Skills of Former Inmates”:  This nine-page document (December 2018) describes why and how re-entry services providers (i.e., governmental and non-governmental organizations helping formerly-incarcerated individuals to successfully transition to life after incarceration) can work with local adult basic skills providers.  It is one of a series of “Can-Do Guides” designed and written by Paul Jurmo for the Open Door Collective.  

• “What Labor Educators Can Do to Strengthen the Basic Skills of Our Workforce”:  This nine-page document (October 2019) describes why and how U.S. labor unions can support local adult basic skills efforts and upgrade the basic skills of their current members.  It is one of a series of “Can-Do Guides” designed and written by Paul Jurmo for the Open Door Collective. 

• “What Forward-Thinking Employers Can Do to Strengthen the Basic Skills of Our Workforce”: This five-page document (May 2019) describes why and how U.S. employers can support local adult basic skills efforts and upgrade the basic skills of their current workforce.  It is one of a series of “Can-Do Guides” designed and written by Paul Jurmo for the Open Door Collective. 

• This is one in a series of “Making the Case” advocacy papers published by the Open Door Collective in 2017-2018.  It argues for integration of basic skills education into workforce development systems for employed and unemployed workers in the U.S.  Paul Jurmo co-wrote and edited this paper. 

• “Career Pathways for a Productive and Self-Reliant Workforce: A To-Do List for Adult Educators” was published in Adult Basic Education and Literacy Journal  in November 2011.

• “Productive and Participatory:  Basic Education for High Performing and Actively Engaged Workers” appeared in New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, Jossey-Bass, Winter 2010.

• “The Workforce Educator Academy at Union County College" is an August 2010 report about an  "Encore Careers" program to train older career-changers to work in various segments of the adult basic education field in New Jersey.  This report was written in August 2010 for Civic Ventures, which organized a national network of similar career transition programs. 

• "Career Pathways: How We Can Help Adult Learners Transition to New Careers and Education”: This July 2010 PowerPoint summarizes (a) arguments for a more systematic way of integrating adult basic education and workforce development services and (b) examples of career pathway efforts at a community college.