Rapid and surprising changes in technology commercialization have made predicting employment in California much more difficult in recent years. Planning in all areas in which governmental services are provided has been hurt as a result. To provide new data for planning, the opinions of California industrial experts (primarily venture capitalists) were sought concerning what inventions or scientific breakthroughs are likely to be significantly commercialized in the 1980s, and concerning how those technologies will affect employment in California. Technologies cited as of emerging importance were in the fields of computer science, biological engineering, electronics, electro-optics, energy, materials, and a few others. Nineteen of these technologies affecting the workforces in automation, communications and information, energy, new materials, and agriculture and biological engineering are analyzed in this document in terms of what they are, how they are used, when their use will become commercially significant, and what barriers and incentives exist affecting their commercialization. These technologies will have a direct employment impact and will affect employment in industries using the new products or process, the very existence of some occupations, and the solving of problems in the public sector. (Author/PGD)