The purpose of this report is to describe how Minnesota technical college students can be empowered through vocational education to be full participants in the labor force and to deal with the changes that they encounter in the workplace. Chapter 1 introduces the problem of keeping up with changes in the ways in which work is performed. Chapter 2 focuses on the global economy and ways in which it affects work. It is organized into these sections: (1) the U.S. economic position after World War II; (2) U.S. comparative economic decline; (3) a look at selected U.S. industries; and (4) the changing labor market. Chapter 3 discusses characteristics of work that make it more desirable for workers. Chapter 4 describes learning empowerment strategies that can be used by workers to shape the work place. Galbraith's (1983) three sources of power (personality, property, and organization) and three types of power (condign, compensatory, and conditioned) form the basis of the discussion. Chapter 5 summarizes generalizations related to the global world of work, national manifestations, regional manifestations, company manifestations, and qualities of work. Chapter 6 focuses on policy and practice implications for the technical college system. Implications for practice are further subdivided into curriculum and instruction aspects. Contains 81 references. (YLB)