This report presents results of a study addressing two questions: (1) the role of certificates, licenses, diplomas, and other creditials in a decentralized vocational education system of public and proprietary schools, community colleges, union apprenticeships, the military, and correspondence schools and (2) the role that certification can play in the CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) system. The first section discusses functions of certification, describes various postsecondary vocational certificates and their requirements, and presents evidence of the role of certification in training programs and the labor market. It concludes with a description of reform efforts, such as increased attention to basic skills and work attitudes in training, certificate standardization, research on predictive validity of certification instruments, and development of new tests and tools to document skills. The second section shows how the lessons of certification can be applied to CETA. A certification process for CETA is recommended which includes a national prototype one-page skill record for use by local trainers; an exploration of use of national standardized competency-based tests of specialized skills, work habits, and basic skills with national minimum passage standards; and the establishment of a full-time placement office for each prime sponsor to market both graduates and tests/training standards. (YLB)