Vocational education must train students in a way that capitalizes on their potential while preparing them with the skills needed for the jobs being created through advances in science and technology. The impact of technological change has been to challenge education to ease the transition of displaced workers and to accommodate entries. State-of-the-art design and manufacturing systems that have influenced industry include computers, fiber optics, lasers, and robotics. Industry needs personnel with a basic, underlying structure of skills; specialized training; and the flexibility to learn new skills. Vocational education will serve young people and also workers who need a shorter, more focused period of retraining. High schools should narrow nonacademic instruction to a few well-chosen basic courses and leave more advanced training to full-time trade schools or technical institutes. Three conclusions can be drawn from a recent evaluation of vocational programs: vocational education is conferred a lower status than academic education, provision of vocational education is as important as preparation of students for college, and the variety in vocational education is an asset and a drawback. Reforms should include national program standards, program coordination, and industry involvement. (YLB)