Employer involvement is a crucial element in the success of school-to-work initiatives. To reach out to employers, states can do the following: target key employers and industries; foster employer ownership; give employers opportunities to recruit their peers; create or collaborate with intermediary organizations; establish partnerships with labor organizations; publicize the school-to-work concept; and provide "how-to" information to employers. Despite employer interest in participating in school-to-work programs, some barriers may impede their involvement: the costs of participation, challenges in developing working relationships with schools, child labor restrictions, liability concerns, and workers' compensation requirements. By working with employers to address these barriers, states can demonstrate their commitment to making the school-to-work system responsive to employer concerns. Governors can take the following actions: target key industries likely to employ tomorrow's work force and suggest school-to-work transition as a strategy; set school-to-work initiatives as a high priority for the state's economic development system and education systems; encourage statewide business groups to play a role; publicize school-to-work efforts of leading employers; and initiate a review of state laws, regulations, and practices that pose barriers to employer participation. (Contains 45 references.) (YLB)