THE WOMEN'S TALENT CORPS WAS FOUNDED IN 1965 ON TWO PREMISES--(1) MATURE WOMEN LIVING IN POVERTY AREAS OF NEW YORK COULD BE TRAINED TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY REGARDLESS OF THEIR PREVIOUS EDUCATION AND (2) COMMUNITY AGENCIES WOULD CREATE SEMI-PROFESSIONAL SERVICE POSITIONS WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENT. BY APRIL 1967, 120 TRAINEES HAD BEEN PLACED AS TEACHER AND GUIDANCE ASSISTANTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AS SOCIAL WORK AND THERAPY ASSISTANTS IN HOSPITALS AND NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, AND AS PROGRAM WORKERS. A SERIES OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN LOW INCOME AREAS IDENTIFIED LOCAL NEEDS AND THE ROLE WOMEN PICTURED FOR THEMSELVES. A LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN ENLISTED POLITICAL SUPPORT AND FUNDS FROM THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. APPLICANTS WERE TESTED AND INTERVIEWED TO REVEAL THEIR PERCEPTION OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS, SENSITIVITY TO HUMAN RELATIONS, AND HIGH MORALE, QUALITIES CLOSELY CORRELATED WITH SUCCESS. THROUGHOUT THE 30-WEEK TRAINING PROGRAM FORMAL CLASSES WERE INTERWOVEN WITH FIELD EXPERIENCE, WITH AN EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL WOMAN, CALLED A COORDINATOR-TRAINER, ACTING AS DISCUSSION LEADER, COUNSELOR, AND SUPERVISOR TO EACH SMALL GROUP OF TRAINEES. OUT OF THE TRAINING INSTITUTE HAS DEVELOPED A "NEW CAREERS" COLLEGE FOR HUMAN SERVICES WITH A MODIFIED, TWO-YEAR CURRICULUM. (AJ)