Part of a course designed to acquaint high school students with basic information concerning careers in community service, this student guide is the first of nine (each with accompanying teacher's manual) which constitute a course entitled "Orientation to Public Service." Focus in the units covered by the guide is on self-analysis, decision making skills, and introduction to public service. Contents are divided into several units of reading and related activities. Readings detail some specific aspects of the major occupational groups: educational services, social and economic services, government agency management, transportation management, regulatory services and records, public safety and corrections and judicial services, urban and rural and community development, and resources management. Activities, varying in length and complexity, are designed to provide the student with opportunities to further explore the objectives of the reading. (The accompanying teacher's manual is CE 013 656. Each of the other guides in the series deals in depth with one of the occupational areas. The course is the first of a series of three developed as a comprehensive approach to vocational skill development in public service for Georgia high schools. Also available are a guide for the total program (Applied Program of Public Service), CE 013 652, and teacher's and student's guide for the second course, "Preparing for Public Service." The third course is a community-based cooperative work experience program.) (JT)