TECHNICIANS ARE DEFINED IN THIS STUDY AS WORKERS WHO DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY SUPPORT SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS IN DESIGNING, DEVELOPING, PRODUCING, AND MAINTAINING THE NATION'S MACHINES AND MATERIALS. THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF CURRENT AND FUTURE TECHNICIAN MANPOWER CONDUCTED BY THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON THE TRAINING OF TECHNICIANS, PROJECTED SUPPLY AND DEMAND, PERSONAL AND EDUCATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS, AND THE NATURE OF THEIR WORK. IN 1963, THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 845,000 TECHNICIANS EMPLOYED IN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING 439,000 IN ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE, 232,000 DRAFTSMEN, 58,000 IN LIFE SCIENCE, AND 116,000 "OTHER" TECHNICIANS. THIS NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO RISE TO 1,500,000 IN 1975. GRADUATES OF POST-SECONDARY PREEMPLOYMENT CURRICULUMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE THE LARGEST AND MOST ADEQUATELY TRAINED SOURCE OF SUPPLY, WITH ABOUT 435,000 ENTERING TECHNICIAN JOBS FROM THESE PROGRAMS BETWEEN 1963 AND 1975. THIS DOCUMENT IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS GPO L2.3--1512 FOR 60 CENTS FROM SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20402. (PS)