This guide provides local vocational administrators (LVAs) with information and guidelines to plan vocational programs for their school, district, or community college. The first four chapters outline a four-step planning process. They guide the LVA through (1) establishment of vocational education's place within the community's educational system; (2) identification and utilization of available occupational supply and demand data as well as collection of data needed to supplement existing information; (3) acquisition of the broadest variety of program support resources from federal, state, local, and private sources; and (4) action on the information through a four-step process (consolidation of data, analysis of information, prioritization of needed action, and development of a program of work). Chapter 5 alerts LVAs to legislative compliance items that should be infused in plans. Chapter 6 identifies external and internal groups and agencies with which the LVA must interact. Examples and recommendations are provided for such groups as sending schools, parent/teacher organizations, and business, industry and labor groups. The final chapter lists resources and agencies to contact for additional information, citing name and address, key contact person, and telephone number. The document list is a bibliography of all documents cited in the guide. (YLB)