Approximately 4,000 randomly selected Oregon employers were surveyed regarding their training practices and work organization. More than 43% of employers surveyed responded. Among the key survey findings were the following: most Oregon employers initially recruit locally; applicants for jobs in high performance organizations are often rejected because of inadequate math/calculation skills; only 17% of Oregon's work force is employed by firms providing at least half of their employees with at least 20 hours of training annually; only 60% of Oregon employers providing on-the-job training actually designate trainers for trainees and fewer than 40% provide training for trainers; although few firms actually participate in education initiatives, 21% desire to participate; public sector employers are most likely to track/budget for training investment; only 3% of firms surveyed can be considered high performance; and employers with high performance characteristics note more skill deficiencies than does the private sector as a whole. The following were identified as areas on which state policymakers should concentrate: improve high school education, expand life skills training in high school, provide school-to-work transition, and improve professional/technical (vocational) training in high school. (Appended are the following: overview of study methodology, The survey instrument, and 21 tables/figures. Contains 62 references.) (MN)