A comprehensive literature review and case studies of three community colleges and one technical institute were conducted as part of a study to determine the economic and educational factors which relate positively or negatively to the successful placement of students who have completed postsecondary vocational programs. Data gathered through interviews, on-site observations, and an examination of documents at each institution were used to characterize the colleges in terms of service district population, area unemployment rate, facilities, enrollment, and program offerings; to rank order to colleges in terms of student placement rates in jobs related to their fields of study; and to determine the relationship of the colleges' institutional and contextual characteristics with these placement rates. Selected findings reveal that the community and labor force factors associated with high placement rates included area employment availability, the level of the community's economic development, and the absence of other postsecondary institutions in the service district. Institutional factors associated with high job placement rates included commitment to job placement as an educational priority and to remaining responsive to present and future labor needs. The study report outlines characteristics of the institutions exhibiting this commitment and details case study findings, and describes the methodology of a survey in progress. (JP)