This guide is intended to assist vocational and technical education teachers in implementing competency-based vocational education programs. The first section discusses what competency-based education (CBE) is and is not, the varying degrees to which a course or program can be competency based, and several different approaches to implementing CBE in a classroom or laboratory. The second section, which deals with identifying and validating student competencies, discusses the content of task statements, sources of task statements, procedures for developing a task listing, task verification, and steps in writing performance objectives. The following aspects of instructional delivery in CBE are discussed in the third section: task analysis, evaluation-performance, evaluation-knowledge, development of student learning guides, and CBE in a traditional delivery system. The fourth section, which deals with managing CBE, covers management and implementation, management of program/departmental activities, staff development, student orientation, grading, attendance/progress, task mapping, learning guide production/quality control, and desirable characteristics of a learning resource center. The fifth section contains a glossary and sample forms for use in developing a syllabus, student learning guides, a task listing, and a task analysis. Each section also includes a listing of resource materials. (MN)