The Workplace Education Initiative was created in Massachusetts to provide workers with the opportunity to develop basic literacy skills, to increase employer and union awareness of the extent of functional illiteracy among workers as well as its cost, to develop a number of partnership models that link the acquisition of basic education skills with increased opportunities for workers, and to promote strong ties among the education, training, and employment sectors at local and state levels. The initiative was developed in response to a growing recognition of the extent and impact of functional illiteracy in an increasingly complex workplace. With many plant closings, workers may be required to change jobs five or more times in a work life. In order to adapt to such frequent changes, workers need transferable skills. These skills are also needed in order for entry-level workers to advance. Lack of such skills results in lost productivity, poor product quality, and more accidents. Three partnership models were proposed to work toward solution of the illiteracy problem: (1) partnership models between a local business and local adult learning center or volunteer program to develop educational programs specific to the needs of the work force of that business; (2) partnership models between one or more local businesses, their unions, and a local adult learning center to develop jointly sponsored educational programs specific to the needs of that work force; and (3) partnership models between a local union that represents workers from a number of different businesses and a local adult learning center to develop educational programs specific to the needs of that work force. (Six programs were funded in 1986 and are summarized briefly in this paper.) (KC)