This study examined the use of the General Educational Development (GED) credential as a measure of readiness for employment. Section I provides a summary of research in this area. The literature review revealed that very little research is available on how employers treat the GED when hiring and promoting employees, that GED holders in the U.S. Armed Forces have poor attrition rates, and that GED holders expected and found better jobs. Section II presents results of a random sample of 2,253 Wisconsin employers for attitudes toward the GED and hiring practices. Findings show the GED credential is well received and considered by most employers to be equivalent to a high school diploma. Section III reports a survey of 13 apprenticeship committees in the Milwaukee area. Findings indicate that construction trades surveyed accept the GED holder for apprenticeship programs (except the electricians who require a high school diploma), but most also require a 10th- to 11th-grade reading level. Section IV examines the experience of GED holders applying for three entry-level positions with county government. (Data on the reading scores of 166 GED holders receiving general assistance payments are briefly analyzed. Appendixes include survey instruments; a list of criteria used by Wisconsin Department of Industry, Labor, and Human Relations for annual wage survey; hourly wages and job titles for GED holders hired in 1985; the education and work experience required for positions with Milwaukee County; and a three-page list of references. (YLB)