A SURVEY OF 20 EMPLOYERS, ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES, AND UNION LEADERS INDICATED THAT DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING CAPABLE YOUTH FOR THE AUTOMOBILE MECHANICS TRADE ARE CAUSED BY (1) A CHAOTIC STRUCTURE, INCLUDING UNCLEAR DEFINITION OF FUNCTION, VARIETY OF PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT, AND SIZE OF THE EMPLOYING UNITS, (2) THE COMPLEXITIES OF TRAINING AND STANDARD SETTING IN THE RAPID BUT UNPLANNED GROWTH OF THE OCCUPATION, AND (3) THE VARIATION IN RESPONSE OF EMPLOYERS TO ALLEGED SHORTAGES OF COMPETENT AND SKILLED WORKERS. TRAINING PROGRAMS SPONSORED BY THE ARMED FORCES, GOVERNMENT, AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS ARE ASKED BY INDUSTRY TO PROVIDE BROAD BACKGROUND AND BY LOCAL BUSINESSMEN TO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED TRAINING. PROGRAMS PROBABLY NEED TO BE REVISED TO PREPARE TWO LEVELS OF WORKERS, THE AUTO TECHNICIAN AND THE AUTO MECHANIC. JOBS NEED TO BE RESTRUCTURED SO THAT THE HIGHLY QUALIFIED CAN DIAGNOSE AND THE LOWER SKILLED CAN DO MANIPULATIVE TASKS. THE MOVEMENT TOWARD SPECIALIZATION IN REPAIR AND STANDARDIZATION OF TRAINING PROBABLY IS AN ATTEMPT TO UPGRADE THE WHOLE FIELD AND LEAD TO SOME FORM OF CERTIFICATION OF SKILL. LICENSING HAS MANY DISADVANTAGES, HOWEVER, AND COULD POSSIBLY DISCOURAGE INSTEAD OF ENCOURAGE PROSPECTIVE TRAINEES. CAPABLE YOUTH WILL BE ATTRACTED TO THE FIELD IF THE INDUSTRY PROVIDES SUCH CONDITIONS AS JOB SECURITY, A FAIR ASSIGNMENT OF WORK, A LOGICAL SYSTEM OF PROMOTION, A FAIR WAGE POLICY, ADEQUATE SPACE AND TOOLS, A CLEAN SHOP, AND LONG RANGE PLANNING. THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE AS FS14.2--AU8 FOR 15 CENTS FROM SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D.C., 20402. (HC)