If vocational preparation is to become a central educational process, available to all young people whether or not they are involved in other study or training, then it must be recognized as such. While there appears to be a growing acceptance of prevocational courses from both the educational and training systems, there remain at least three major problem areas to be solved before a comprehensive and fair system of vocational preparation can be operated. These are the existing financial award system, the current danger of restricting vocational preparation to a specific group, and the inaccessibility of some participants to opportunities to progress to more advanced education and training. Educators must work to link the characteristics of vocational preparation to all programs of study and training, whether grouped or modular. Among various points in the program from which learning could progress are the following: a teaching/learning approach dealing initially with essential core skills, an approach based on vocational motivation, an approach based on experience in another occupational area, and an approach based on significant expertise. Particularly needed are efforts to enable students to apply, with discernment, school-based competencies to day-to-day working problems. (MN)