A study investigated knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to operate in new working arrangements where people operate in alliance with others. Six strategic alliances were selected across three states and different industries. Participants in contractor alliances and stakeholders in the study were interviewed. Findings indicated that all contractors needed to be proficient in their job-specific technical knowledge and skill to value and market that work appropriately and undertake it reliably; some alliances were formed where contractors had the same technical skills and knowledge and assisted contractors in managing the uneven demands for work; other alliances were based on complementary job-specific knowledge and skills and expanded opportunities to undertake work; and, to work effectively in an alliance, contractors needed to be able to recognize strengths and limitations of their own technical/specialist skills and knowledge and that of others and required skills associated with managing the work, identifying client needs, working with clients, and managing client expectations. The knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to maintain technical proficiency were obtained through a variety of means, including vocational education and training (VET); learning by doing was supported by reading, using the Internet, learning from others in the alliance, and using networks; and VET providers needed the capacity to deliver short, just-in-time content and required support to enable them to do so innovatively and creatively to meet demands of the target audience. (Contains 72 references.) (YLB)