A study examined the social processes and internal factors that foster women's participation in technical vocational training at the high school and community college level. Data were collected from traditional and nontraditional female students in California secondary and postsecondary vocational training programs by self-administered questionnaires with items reflecting five primary clusters of variables: (1) demographics/family background, (2) support/encouragement from important others to enroll in nontraditional programs, (3) peer experience with nontraditional programs, (4) personality dimensions and sex-role orientations, and (5) perceived barriers to enrolling in a nontraditional program. Nontraditional students were found more often to have working mothers, to have been employed more hours per week, and to be of a higher social class. They consistently received the most support and encouragement to enter nontraditional fields, most often by parents and already-enrolled female students. Nontraditionals had more female friends and siblings who had experience with nontraditional programs. Significantly more traditionals than nontraditionals believed there were rules or restrictions limiting enrollment to men. Traditionals had a significantly greater fear of success and were more sex-typed. (YLB)