An overview of cooperation between CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) and vocational education is presented in this speech, including a look at data on legislation, history, and funding sources. In light of CETA legislation's specificity on how local sponsors are to work with vocational educators, the speech gives excerpts and summaries of relevant legislation before dealing with (1) history--youth employment program beginnings and antecedents where, historically, federal agencies have had difficulty cooperating to serve people as a result of "turf protection"; (2) funding sources, determination formulae, and difference between funding provisions; (3) examples of coordination: programs from many states are considered worthy of mention, but thirteen are singled out, described in brief, and offered as evidence of cooperation that works. These programs address such issues as job readiness training, eliminating sex stereotyping, work/study, work experience programs, school-to-work transition, and come from industry, state agencies, colleges, private business, and other sources. Assessing this mandated cooperation, the speaker suggests new definitions to accomodate new programs. Noting that vocational education and CETA share common ground since both aim to train people for employment, the speaker asks how, if the former is to serve the latter, the rigid structure of classrooms, buildings, and faculty can be altered to serve those who have dropped out because of the system. (CP)