Welfare reform has been an issue in America for many years. The need to make positive changes to the welfare system escalated to the point that federal legislation was passed in 1996. This legislation mandated that each state establish welfare-to-work programs and require that welfare recipients begin to work or face loss of benefits after two years. Virginia responded to this mandate through its Virginia Initiative for Employment Not Welfare (VIEW), which requires welfare recipients to seek work opportunities. The purpose of this study was to examine employers' perceptions of factors contributing to their participation in VIEW and factors they felt affected welfare recipients' entry into the workforce. The theoretical framework of this study is based on two theories of organizational change: are the innovations and diffusion of innovations models. Interviews were conducted with twelve people who were in decision making roles in businesses that participated in VIEW. The following research questions were used to guide this study: 1. What factors encourage employers to participate in Virginia's Initiative for Employment Not Welfare (VIEW)? Interviews with employers were recorded, transcribed, and coded using the Nud.ist qualitative research software program. Twelve factors were identified: mass media, social services agencies, the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), other information sources, employability skills, qualifications, work experience, education and training, child care, lack of funds for transportation and appropriate clothing, welfare policies, and a support system or monitoring plan. The first four factors affected employers' decisions to be a part of VIEW; the others were factors they felt affected workforce entry. This study confirms portions of the review of literature relative to research regarding factors that affect the entry of welfare recipients into the workforce. Two major conclusions emerged from the findings: the majority of employers interviewed suggested that welfare policies and child care significantly affected the employment of welfare recipients. Further study is needed to determine what changes are needed in welfare policies and preparation for those entering the workforce. Research should involve both welfare recipients, employers, social services personnel, and job training providers. / Ph. D.

Published Article / Providing quality Technical education and training has for a long time been an area of concern for most African countries, given the fact that every year governments allocate huge part of national budget to this sector. The study sought to determine the perceptions of employers regarding the quality of the Botswana Technical Education Programme (BTEP) graduates in terms of three main attributes, namely: survival, technical and employability skills. The main participants for the study were drawn from employers of BTEP graduates. Altogether 62 employers participated in the survey. The study found that although 50.7 % of employers rated survival and practical skills of the BTEP graduates as high, a much greater percentage (60 %) of them rated the level of occupational and employability skills as average. The study also found that while outcomes-based BTEP programme provides relatively high level of survival and practical skills, the level of most work related skills are still below the employers' expectation.