INTERVIEWS AND QUESTIONNAIRES FROM 601 JOB SEEKERS AT THE HARYOU-ACT CENTER AND JOHN F. KENNEDY JOIN CENTER BETWEEN NOVEMBER 1965 AND JUNE 1966 FURNISHED DATA FOR THIS STUDY OF WORK-SEEKING NEGRO YOUTHS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 AND 21. SIMILAR DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM THREE CONTROL SAMPLES INCLUDING 260 MALE JUNIORS AND SENIORS AT A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE HIGH SCHOOL, 442 MALE FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES AT A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE COLLEGE, AND 196 NEGRO MALE COLLEGE FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES AT PREDOMINANTLY NEGRO HOWARD UNIVERSITY. THE JOB-SEEKING NEGRO YOUTH FROM THE GHETTO IS WELL AWARE OF THE GAPS IN HIS EDUCATION AND HIS VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND IS SEEKING WAYS TO REMEDY THESE GAPS. HE EVIDENTLY FEELS THAT THE NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS NOT A SOURCE OF REMEDY FOR THESE DEFICIENCIES. HE IS MORE LIKELY TO SEE WORK AS A MINIMAL MEANS OF SURVIVING THAN AS SOMETHING OF INTRINSIC INTEREST OR VALUE. THE LOW SELF-ESTEEM HE EXHIBITS, ESPECIALLY IN CONTRAST TO WHITE AND NEGRO MIDDLE-CLASS YOUTHS IN THE SAME AGE GROUPS, IMPAIRS HIS ABILITY TO SEEK AND HOLD JOBS, ERODES HIS COMMITMENT TO WORK, DEPRESSES HIS ASPIRATIONS TOWARD A BETTER CONDITION OF LIFE, AND CONTINUALLY PRESSES HIM TOWARD A STATE OF DESPAIR, APATHY, AND SURRENDER. NEVERTHELESS, HE APPEARS VERY LIKELY TO RESPOND TO MEANINGFUL WORK-TRAINING PROGRAMS IF THEY ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO HIM. (ET)