THE ROLE OF PUBLICLY FINANCED TRAINING IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA IS DISCUSSED IN THE LIGHT OF THE PRESENT STATUS OF VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE AND TRAINING. ACCOUNTS OF AN ELECTRONICS ASSEMBLY CLASS FOR DISPLACED EMPLOYEES OF SMITH-CORONA, A PUBLIC SCHOOL SPONSORED WELDING COURSE FOR MEN AND YOUTH WITH AT LEAST A TENTH-GRADE EDUCATION OR ITS EQUIVALENT, AND A COURSE FOR PROSPECTIVE LICENSED VOCATIONAL NURSES, INCLUDE CASE HISTORIES ILLUSTRATING GENERAL TRAINEE CHARACTERISTICS (AGE, SEX, EDUCATION, JOB EXPERIENCE, MINORITY GROUPS REPRESENTED) AND THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF EXISTING PROGRAMS. RESULTS OF APTITUDE TESTING AND SKILL TRAINING POINT UP THE SCARCITY AND LOW STATUS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, INADEQUATE USE OF LABOR MARKET INFORMATION IN COUNSELING, AND THE CONSEQUENT NEED TO STRENGTHEN AND REORIENT VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS. SPECIFICALLY, THE WELDING AND NURSING PROGRAMS SUCCEEDED BECAUSE THEY REFLECTED THE REALITIES OF THE JOB MARKET, WHILE THE ELECTRONICS ASSEMBLY CLASS FAILED BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGICAL OBSOLESCENCE. DOCUMENT INCLUDES MAJOR VOCATIONAL LEGISLATION, AND AN APPRAISAL OF PRIVATE VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS. DOCUMENT IS CHAPTER 1 OF RETRAINING THE WORK FORCE, BY IDA R. HOOS, AVAILABLE FOR $6.00 FROM UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS, BERKELEY, 94720. (LY)