This book expands the meaning of today's education for work by offering five multidisciplinary approaches--school-to-work transitions, gender equity, labor education, economic democracy, and vocational education--revealing the complexities of personal, social, and cultural transformation. "Critical Education for Work" (Richard D. Lakes) is an introduction. "School-to-Work Transitions: The Social Context of 'First Jobs'" (Richard D. Lakes, Kathryn M. Borman) presents an overview of impediments to labor market success for high school graduates entering the work world. "The 'Literacy Myth' at Work: The Role of Print Literacy in School-to-Work Transitions" (Sheryl G. Gowen) discusses literacy as workers'"know-how": knowledge learned through action rather than from print. "Gender Equity and Empowerment in Vocational Education" (Penny L. Burge, Steven M. Culver) provides an overview of major elements in labor market segregation by gender. "Women's Workplace Equity" (Patricia A. Carter) offers a feminist view on workplace equity issues. "The Right to Organize: Implications for Preparing Students for Work" (Dennis R. Herschbach) presents a critical pedagogy perspective for the study of worker empowerment through collective bargaining. "Work Education for the Next Century: Beyond Skills Training" (Maria-Luz D. Samper, Richard D. Lakes) examines Freirean literacy as a means to achieve workers' empowerment. "Is This Workplace Democracy? Education and Labor in Postindustrial America" (Richard D. Lakes) charges that current education reform efforts fail to account for democratic work redesigns that include shared enterprise governance. "Business and Democracy: Implications for Education" (Frank T. Adams, Gary B. Hansen) describes the educational processes of workers' self management in cooperative firms. "Critical Pedagogy and Vocational Education: A Search for New Metaphors" (Marsha L. Rehm) examines and critiques negative metaphors predominant in discussions about the role of vocational education in society. "From Critical Theory to Critical Practice: Transformative Vocational Classrooms" (James A. Gregson) provides a detailed analysis of the application of critical pedagogy for vocational high school instruction. "Education for Democratic Community and Work" (Richard D. Lakes) is an interview with noted workplace activist, Len Krimerman. Includes author and subject indexes. (YLB)