THIS STUDY WAS PART OF A LARGER RESEARCH PROJECT CONCERNED WITH NORTH CAROLINA 4-H EXTENSION AGENTS' PERCEPTION OF THEIR ROLE IN THE 4-H PROGRAM. THIS PARTICULAR STUDY DEALT WITH (1) THE DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY AGENTS ENCOUNTERED IN PERFORMANCE OF 37 TASKS APPROPRIATE TO THE 4-H AGENTS' ROLE, AND (2) TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES WHICH WOULD HELP THEM IN ACQUIRING COMPETENCE. THREE PHASES OF TASKS WERE DELINEATED--11 IN PLANNING, 16 IN EXECUTION, AND 10 IN EVALUATION. THERE WERE 215 RESPONDENTS TO MAILED QUESTIONNAIRES, COLLECTING INFORMATION ON PERSONAL DATA AND PERCEPTION OF THE AGENT ROLE. IT WAS FOUND THAT A MAJORITY OF THE AGENTS EXPERIENCED SOME DIFFICULTY IN PERFORMANCE OF EACH TASK. THE DIFFICULTIES WERE RELATED TO SUCH FACTORS AS AGE, SUBJECT AREA OF HIGHEST DEGREE EARNED, TENURE AS 4-H AGENT, FREQUENCY OF STAFF MEETINGS, AND DEGREE OF SATISFACTION IN 4-H WORK. THE MAJORITY OF AGENTS FELT THAT INSERVICE TRAINING WAS THE MOST APPROPRIATE KIND OF TRAINING FOR COMPETENCE IN THEIR TASKS. THIS WAS A MASTERS THESIS, AVAILABLE FROM NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY, RALEIGH, 115 PAGES. (PT)