In 1991, a study was conducted by Oakland Community College (OCC) to evaluate the need for a proposed plastics and composites technology program for design engineers. General information was obtained through a literature search, from the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., the Michigan Employment Security Commission, and interviews with professionals in the field. In addition, 100 local companies were surveyed, yielding a response rate of 35%. Major findings included the following: (1) design engineers were needed in most areas of the plastics and composites industry; (2) mechanical engineers with no knowledge of plastics were currently being hired due to the lack of design engineers; (3) other local associate degree or certificate programs in plastics and composites technology concentrated on process or manufacturing applications rather than on design; (4) employment opportunities for minorities, women and the handicapped were good due to their current underrepresentation and the federal Targeted Jobs Tax Credit incentive for employers; (5) the total cost for setting up a low-technology plastics laboratory would be $100,000, with a well equipped laboratory costing approximately $1,000,000; and (6) based on survey responses from local employers, the average entry level salary for design engineers who hold an associate degree was $26,300. Appendixes provide a variety of materials on the proposed program, including a mission statement, an outline of goals, a list of courses, brief course descriptions, a list of review committee members, and the survey instrument. (JSP)