This study assessed three factors in adult education participation by industrial employees: (1) perceived need deficiency on the job; (2) importance of need fulfillment; (3) perception of education as a means of advancement. A measure of perceived need deficiency was applied to 177 participants and 149 nonparticipants in classes at Purdue University. Participants were significantly higher on variables one and three, slightly higher on variable two. The two groups differed significantly in salary, age, sex, marital and family status, tenure commitment to present employer, perception of mobility opportunities in the present position, and perceived importance of upward mobility; but not in work history, job level, education, or distance lived from university extension facilities. The typical participant was young, salaried, married, dissatisfied with his position, with the company under three years, in the present job under a year, not committed to the present employer, willing to leave for a better job, and very interested in upward mobility. (Author/LY)