This guide identifies considerations in the organization, operation, and evaluation of secondary and postsecondary vocational education programs. It contains both a vocational program guide and Career Merit Achievement Plan (Career MAP) for metal fabrication. The guide contains the following sections: occupational description; program content (curriculum framework and student performance standards); program implementation (student admission criteria, cooperative education, and student organization participation); instructional resources (student reference materials, service manuals, and periodicals); facility design recommendations and safety, maintenance, and liability; suggested equipment list; and professional development (technical updating and teacher standards and related professional organizations and support services). The 10 intended outcomes establish students' proficiency in the following: basic metal fabrication skills; read plans and drawings; measuring and layout operations; metals and their properties; metalworking machines; metal fabrication operations; gas welding and cutting operations; electric metal-bonding operations; employability skills; and entrepreneurship. The Career MAP displays student performance standards and documents the level of achievement on the standards for each of the 10 student outcomes. (NLA)