This report focuses on an effort by Los Angeles County to transform its welfare-to-work program, Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN), from one that emphasized basic education to one focused on speedy entry into the work force. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the original program; reasons for a shift to a work-first model and description of the new Jobs-First GAIN program. Chapter 2 describes the program's new philosophy and details how administrators initiated the change. It discusses the administrative restructuring that preceded the shift and the competitive and performance-based contracts GAIN administrators instituted to ensure program service providers supported the work first emphasis. Chapter 3 describes how administrators were able to change the way staff thought about GAIN and presented the Jobs-First message to participants, mainly through a focus on job placements and other outcome measures as key indicators of staff performance and overall program success. Chapter 4 discusses changes to make GAIN services more employment oriented. It describes job services provided by the County Office of Education; ways in which basic education classes became more short-termed and employment-focused; other services; the role of case management; and program costs. Chapter 5 notes some possible next steps, for example, recent efforts to promote the work first message at income maintenance offices and to improve communications between staff at offices and agencies that provide GAIN services. Contains 23 references. (YLB)