The California Youth Authority (CYA) planned to offer a training program covering all aspects of the automotive trades to wards during their incarceration. Through analysis, it showed future job opportunities exist, due to increased job numbers and high turnover rate, for persons trained in the automotive trades in California over a 10-year period ending 2008. Automotive trades occupations were automotive mechanics and automotive body and related repairers. Industries employing the bulk of automotive trade workers--motor vehicle dealers (new and used) and automotive repair shops--were expected to grow over the 10-year period. Employers had difficulty finding trained workers in this field. Recommendations were for CYA to anticipate counties most likely to receive wards at their release so analysis can be focused at the county level; contact local employers and labor unions where wards will be released to determine specific skills needed in the local area and whether they see a need for new entrants into the labor force; and develop an assessment tool to screen individuals to determine whether they have the potential to complete training and become gainfully employed in the automotive field. (California Occupational Guides for automobile mechanics and automobile body repairers and labor market information are attached.) (YLB)