This study was conducted to determine how state and local vocational education has responded to shortages of industrially oriented skilled craftsworkers and technicians since the mid-1970's. The findings are intended to serve as a basis for suggestions of ways to enhance responsiveness in the 1980's and beyond. The six information sources analyzed included literature such as reports and journals, congressional testimony, state plans for vocational education for 1978, annual vocational education programs from 1974-75 through 1978-79, and publications issued by state employment services. The major findings of the study were the following: (1) a shortage of skilled industrial workers in the 1980's and beyond may exist; (2) information systems cannot yet predict labor shortages or their locations; (3) local providers of vocational education have been responding to occupational skill shortages in their areas; and (4) state vocational education agencies have created many short-term customized training programs, but little long-range planning has occurred. As a result of these findings, it was suggested that Congress should consider providing a framework for vocational education and business/industry groups to create job training partnerships and funding information systems to forecast skill shortages at every level. It was also suggested that state boards and vocational education agencies should consider long-range planning for job training to encourage articulation between secondary and postsecondary vocational education and to include more varied data in planning. (KC)