THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP CURRICULUMS NEEDED IN TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING TECHNICIANS IN OHIO. A QUESTIONNAIRE TO INVENTORY THE LABOR FORCE WAS ADMINISTERED TO INDIVIDUALS, FIRMS, BUSINESSES, AND AGENCIES EMPLOYING PERSONS IN AREAS REQUIRING AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING AND FARM MECHANICS. ANOTHER TO COLLECT INFORMATION USEFUL IN DEVELOPING CURRICULUMS WAS ADMINISTERED TO TECHNICIANS. A JURY OF 12 EXPERTS FROM PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY AND ENGINEERING HELPED VALIDATE THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF THE TECHNICIANS. SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LABOR FORCE WERE -- (1) MOST FIRMS AND BUSINESSES WERE MULTIPURPOSE AND ENGAGED IN SEVERAL MAJOR BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, (2) TECHNICIANS WERE EMPLOYED BY 40 PERCENT OF THE TRACTOR AND MACHINERY DEALERS, AND BY ONE-THIRD OF THE FIRMS IN THE AREA OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION, (3) 1,460 PERSONS WERE EMPLOYED FULL-TIME BY 35 PERCENT OF THE FIRMS RESPONDING, AND THE OVERALL RATIO OF TECHNICIANS TO PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL WAS 0.64 TO 1, AND (4) A 69 PERCENT INCREASE IN LABOR PLACEMENT FOR TECHNICIANS WAS ANTICIPATED BY 1969. ACTIVITIES ENGAGED IN BY TECHNICIANS WERE GIVING LEADERSHIP AND DIRECTION TO OTHERS, MAKING VERBAL OR WRITTEN ACCOUNTING, AND OFFERING ADVICE AND EXPERTNESS. COMMUNICATION SKILLS, APPLIED ARITHMETIC, ELEMENTARY MECHANICS, PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, AND PSYCHOLOGY WERE CONSIDERED IMPORTANT NEEDED GENERAL EDUCATION SUBJECT AREAS. ONE RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT PROGRAMS FOR PREPARING TECHNICIANS BE DEVELOPED TO PREPARE BOTH "AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIANS-ENGINEERING" AND "AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIANS-MECHANIZED AGRICULTURE." A SUGGESTED CURRICULUM FOR TRAINING AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING TECHNICIANS, SELECTED TABLES FROM THE STUDY, AND AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (WB)