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This article explores the overlaps and disconnects between the competencies evaluators acquire during graduate school and those required and desired by employers. To investigate this relationship, two different surveys are administered, one for job seekers and the other for employers; 205 postings in the American Evaluation Association job bank were analyzed. The findings suggest that employers, job seekers, and job posters generally agree on the importance of some competencies, such as quantitative analyses and data management. However, some skills desired by employers, such as interpersonal, project management, and presentation skills, differ from skills that job seekers acquire in graduate school. Opportunities for additional experiences in real-world evaluation settings could fill these gaps. Implications for training and future research on training in evaluation are discussed. E valuation training, specifically requisite evaluation skills, has been a central concern since the field's inception. Despite the proliferation of alternative training avenues for evaluators, continued deliberation persists of what knowledge and skills should be gained as well as where and how. For example, between 2003 and 2006, approximately 40 panels, debates, roundtables, think tanks, demonstrations, skill-building workshops, expert lectures, and multipaper sessions were offered at the annual American Evaluation Association (AEA) conference on the topic of evaluation competencies alone. Topics ranged from providing graduate evaluation training through an apprenticeship model, to how the context of evaluation affects the use of evaluation competencies, and to performance evaluation tools for rating evaluators' knowledge and technical skills (American Evaluation Association [AEA], n.d. a).One of these AEA conference sessions is a recurring metaroundtable sponsored by the Graduate Student and New Evaluators Topical Interest Group. This roundtable functions as a forum for novice evaluators in search of a first job or a different position, and it provides them with an informal venue for discussing career issues with seasoned evaluators. To provide a comprehensive perspective, session organizers invite practitioners from various sectors (e.g.,

Empowerment evaluation involves a program’s stakeholders in designing and implementing an evaluation of their own program, thus contributing to the program’s improvement and self-determination (Fetterman, 1994, 1996). It appeared to be an appropriate approach for evaluating a mental health drop-in center, which had congruent goals of collaboration and self-sufficiency. However, encouraging ongoing participation among the stakeholders was challenging. The evaluation process was adapted, with the evaluator designing and conducting most of the evaluation but incorporating substantial input from the stakeholders throughout the process. This involved careful attention to the evaluator’s roles, and decisions concerning the depths of stakeholder versus evaluator participation at each step of the evaluation. Adaptations to empowerment evaluation must consider the values of the program, as well as balance the stakeholders’ needs for resources with their rights for autonomy.

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BackgroundCurrently the American Red Cross requires that individuals renew their cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification annually; this often requires a 4- to 8-hour refresher course. Those trained in CPR often show a decrease in essential knowledge and skills within just a few months after training. New electronic means of communication have expanded the possibilities for delivering CPR refreshers to members of the general public who receive CPR training. The study’s purpose was to determine the efficacy of three novel CPR refreshers - online website, e-mail and text messaging – for improving three outcomes of CPR training - skill retention, confidence for using CPR and intention to use CPR. These three refreshers may be considered “novel” in that they are not typically used to refresh CPR knowledge and skills.MethodsThe study conducted two randomized clinical trials of the novel CPR refreshers. A mailed brochure was a traditional, passive refresher format and served as the control condition. In Trial 1, the refreshers were delivered in a single episode at 6 months after initial CPR training. In Trial 2, the refreshers were delivered twice, at 6 and 9 months after initial CPR training, to test the effect of a repeated delivery. Outcomes for the three novel refreshers vs. the mailed brochure were determined at 12 months after initial CPR training.ResultsAssignment to any of three novel refreshers did not improve outcomes of CPR training one year later in comparison with receiving a mailed brochure. Comparing outcomes for subjects who actually reviewed some of the novel refreshers vs. those who did not indicated a significant positive effect for one outcome, confidence for performing CPR. The website refresher was associated with increased behavioral intent to perform CPR. Stated satisfaction with the refreshers was relatively high. The number of episodes of refreshers (one vs. two) did not have a significant effect on any outcomes.ConclusionsThere was no consistent evidence for the superiority of novel refreshers as compared with a traditional mailed brochure, but the low degree of actual exposure to the materials does not allow a definitive conclusion. An online web-based approach seems to have the most promise for future research on electronic CPR refreshers.