IN ORDER TO DETERMINE PREEMPLOYMENT EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ENTERING NONPROFESSIONAL OFF-FARM AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS, THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY EMPLOYING FIRMS, EXISTING OCCUPATIONS, DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS OF BEGINNING EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYERS' FAMILIARITY WITH VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS, EMPLOYERS' AGREEMENT ON CHANGES NEEDED IN THE PROGRAMS, EMPLOYERS' WILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE IN PREEMPLOYMENT TRAINING, PROBLEMS OF CONDUCTING COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND EMPLOYERS' AGREEMENT ON THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF VARIOUS INSTRUCTIONAL UNITS. THE SAMPLE OF 474 FIRMS WAS SELECTED RANDOMLY FROM STRATIFIED POPULATION CATEGORIES. AN INTERVIEW INSTRUMENT WAS DESIGNED AND PRETESTED. IT WAS ADMINISTERED BY VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE TEACHERS. DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES WERE USED IN ANALYZING DATA, AND FACTOR ANALYSIS WAS USED TO GROUP COMPETENCIES. OF 184 OCCUPATIONS, 125 WERE NONPROFESSIONAL AND MOST REQUIRED ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. A RURAL BACKGROUND WAS PREFERRED FOR BEGINNING EMPLOYEES. PERSONALITY, ABILITY TO GET ALONG WITH OTHERS, AND COMMUNICATIVE ABILITY WERE IMPORTANT FACTORS IN EMPLOYEE SELECTION, AS WELL AS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. AGRICULTURAL COMPETENCIES WERE NEEDED, AND POST-HIGH SCHOOL TRAINING WOULD BE REQUIRED IN SOME CASES. MOST EMPLOYERS FELT OCCUPATIONAL EXPERIENCE PROGRAMS WERE NECESSARY, AND THEY WOULD COOPERATE IN SPITE OF ANTICIPATED LIABILITY PROBLEMS. (JM)