This training manual for educational counselors, administrators, and faculty involved with placement services (assistance to school graduates or leavers in obtaining employment or further education) and follow-up studies (examination of the performance of former students in the areas in which they received training) is part of a Florida Department of Education project undertaken to identify the competencies that community college personnel need to interpret placement and follow-up data. The first part of the manual describes the competencies (in program design, research, and communication) identified as necessary to the performance of placement and follow-up services. The second section covers training activities which specifically address these competencies and which can be used in a workshop format. The training activities for program design include institutional mission; institutional goals; program goals; program and course competencies; local business, industry and government employers; and state and federal reporting requirements. Research activities include placement and follow-up instrumentation; research methodology; questionnaire development; basic statistics; analysis and interpretation of data; computer applications; and presentation of data. Activities for communication include needs analysis; data collection; dissemination of reports; and implications. The third major section provides resource material for the three competency areas and for the effective use of educational follow-up information, as well as placement and follow-up report formats. A glossary and a bibliography are also provided. (WAS)