Management and union support should be obtained, and supervisors and employees should be involved in planning. Determine whether company resources enable an in-house program, or, because few small businesses can afford such programs, whether a partnership with schools, colleges, community organizations, or consultants is warranted. Consortia of businesses or unions with like needs are another approach. A secure, unthreatening environment provided for instruction, at the worksite if possible, should avoid associations with traditional schooling. The program should be presented as part of regular training, with a neutral name to minimize the stigma attached to illiteracy.
Many programs have continuous offerings or flexible scheduling to accommodate shift workers' hours.
Increased numbers of women, minorities, and immigrants in the labor force mean that attention must be paid to such factors as child care and English as a second language in order to eliminate barriers to full and effective participation. In designing, developing, and implementing curriculum, use eclectic, individualized techniques and organize content by job tasks, building on employees' job knowledge. Include problems and simulations of actual job situations, and use actual work materials as texts. Let employees work together and learn from each other. In considering the uses of instructional technology such as computers and interactive video, note that media can offer privacy, individualization, potential achievement gains, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility.