PRYO, the Swedish acronym for Praktiske Yrkesorientering, translates into English as Practical Work Orientation. PRYO was the result of action taken by the Swedish legislature, excluding educational researchers for the most part, in which compulsory school attendance was extended from seven to nine years to further equalize Swedish education while providing students with some knowledge of life outside of school. Until 1971, PRYO consisted of two weeks of work outside school, required of all eighth graders. In 1971, PRYO was changed to include three school visits to varied forms of industry and business during the eighth grade year, and the work experience followed in the ninth and final compulsory year. Having established the historical basis of PRYO, the author proceeds to investigate it as it existed in May 1974, through interviews with people in various capacities who are involved in it and through examination of documents issued in connection with PRYO. He concludes that in spite of the political, rather than educational, grounds of Sweden's comprehensive school origins, the school and PRYO effectively prepare graduates in a variety of ways to face the contemporary world. He also examines possible application to American education. (AG)