The General Accounting Office examined six employment training programs that had previously been identified as being successful in helping economically disadvantaged adults. The primary objective of the study was to determine whether the programs shared any common practices/strategies that could be credited for the programs' high performance indicators (for example, three had placement rates above 90% and the other three placed at least two-thirds of program completers). The six projects, which were located in Colorado, Oregon, Florida, Nevada, Michigan, and New York City's East Harlem, differed in many respects, including their funding sources, skills training approaches, and client focus. It was discovered that, although the projects were different in many ways, all six shared a common strategy characterized by the following key features: (1) ensuring that clients are committed to training and getting a job; (2) removing barriers, such as a lack of child care, that might limit a client's employability skills, such as getting to a job regularly and on time, working well with others, and dressing and behaving appropriately; and (3) linking occupational skills training with the local labor market by assisting clients in their job search and working to develop jobs. (MN)