A study of the relation between the reading competencies for high school graduation and the reading demands of auto mechanics began with determining job reading tasks of auto mechanics. Fifty auto mechanics, the majority of them bilinguals, were interviewed. From this data about the kinds of information mechanics get from reading and with copies of the printed materials themselves, job reading tasks were constructed. These tasks included reading of indexes, specifications, codes, directions, and functional descriptions. A range of items measuring competency-based reading skills and job reading tasks were administered to forty-nine students in three high schools. Eighteen were bilingual minority and thirty-eight were enrolled in auto shop courses. Data suggested that many of the competency-based skills were associated with the job reading tasks of auto mechanics. Successful achievement on competency exams was associated with ability to read job tasks. Minority bilingual auto mechanics in both lower and higher paying jobs were tested using the job reading tasks and items from high school graduation competency tests. Nearly 38 percent of the variance in on-the-job reading was accounted for by the competency-based reading skills required for high school graduation. These basic skills were more relevant to higher than to lower paying jobs, with limited English mechanics being denied higher paying employment. (YLB)