A comparison was made of attitudes toward retirement and readiness for it among hourly-rated older automobile workers in the United States and those in Great Britain. Tables show both similarities and differences in their general characteristics, permitting tentative comparisons. Americans viewed retirement more positively, found their jobs more difficult or unpleasant, expected better retirement income, had more encouragement from employers and unions to retire early, and were more likely to receive preretirement education. (The question remains whether such education produces a positive attitude or the reverse.) Programs in the two countries were compared using a recent United States survey and by means of visits and questionnaires in Great Britain. It was concluded that American programs would benefit from broader public support to provide a variety of participants and community groups, that enrollments in both countries are small and tend to come shortly before retirement, and that more experimentation with course content and methodology is needed. (ly)