MAJOR PROBLEMS IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION RELATING TO PERSONNEL, CURRICULUM, STUDENTS, OPERATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AND FINANCING WERE STUDIED BY 20 REPRESENTATIVES FROM EDUCATION, INDUSTRY, AND STATE AGENCIES AT A REGIONAL CONFERENCE. CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES WERE TO (1) IDENTIFY URGENT PROBLEMS IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, (2) SUGGEST FEASIBLE SOLUTIONS, AND (3) IDENTIFY RESEARCH FOR THE SOLUTION OF THESE PROBLEMS. CONSULTANTS DISCUSSED PROBLEMS IN FIVE AREAS OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. PERSONNEL PROBLEMS WERE THE CRITICAL PERSONNEL SHORTAGE AND THE FUTURE ROLE OF THE VOCATIONAL ADMINISTRATOR AS A PLANNER AND LEADER-ARRANGER. THE MAJOR PROBLEM IN CURRICULUM WAS KEEPING CONTENT CURRENT. STUDENT PROBLEMS INVOLVED HELPING STUDENTS MAKE VALID EDUCATIONAL CHOICES, IMPROVING THE STATUS OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, IDENTIFYING STUDENT MOTIVATIONS, AND CHANGING SOUTHERN CULTURAL INHIBITIONS AGAINST FEMALE EMPLOYMENT IN INDUSTRY. OTHER PROBLEMS INCLUDED A LACK OF OVERALL POLICY WHICH IS REFLECTED IN THE ISOLATION OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION FROM GENERAL EDUCATION AND A NEED FOR MORE EFFICIENT UTILIZATION OF FINANCING BY KNOWING SOURCES OF FUNDS AND PRESENTING ADEQUATE DATA TO INFLUENCE THEIR ALLOCATION. (EM)