The aims of an evaluation of the Trades Education (TRADEC) schemes were to report on the approach's distinctive features and to assess the TRADEC system's effectiveness and potential for educating and training a wide range of workers. The research design comprised three major elements. First, a developmental phase was devoted to identification and clarification of the key evaluation questions, construction of a detailed description of the system and its component schemes, and development of a set of working hypotheses. Second, empirical investigations of schemes currently in operation required four approaches to data collection: compilation of existing recorded data across all cases, survey of key evaluation variables across a representative sample, detailed case study of a limited number of cases, and observation of selected system processes. Third, comparative studies were designed to draw "broad-brush" comparisons between the philosophy and implementation of TRADEC and those of vocational preparation and conventional day release. (Appendixes, amounting to approximately three-fourths of the report, include the primary evaluation questions and survey questionnaires for all participants in TRADEC schemes.) (YLB)