This paper describes structural equation modeling (SEM) and possibilities for using SEM to address problems specific to workforce education and career development. A sample of adolescents identified as work-bound (i.e., transition directly from secondary school to work) from the National Education Longitudinal Study 1988-1996 database (NELS: 88-94, 1996) was selected for illustrative purposes. The authors urge greater use of sophisticated analytic techniques like SEM in career and technical research to more adequately consider the complexity of work-based issues and problems. (Contains 2 figures, 3 tables, and 6 endnotes.)