A comparative case study of education and work programs was conducted from an anthropological frame of reference to determine how each sets up a program culture for learners to achieve program goals. Three variables structured into the original research design of the project were (1) the length of the program; (2) the type of community served, and (3) the socio-academic characteristics of the students served. Results of the study indicate that leadership and faculty tenure seem to have a stabilizing effect on the length of the program; availability of public transporatation and time commitment required by the program coordinator to adequately supervise students in a large geographical area vary by community type; and that the traditional role of education as a conduit to vertical class mobility should be considered in the placing and processing of experiences with respect to socio-academic student characteristics. Results indicate that while the four education and work programs represented diverse responses to local needs and local resources, they all shared three characteristics: an orientation toward the economic institutions of the community; the inclusion of a learning component; and the awarding of academic credit or pay. Two other areas of concern identified were the additional responsibility students with psycho-social problems placed on the program and the unique socio-cultural problems of the role of the work sponsor. (MEK)