A study was conducted of the training programs used by plants with Computer Automated Design/Computer Automated Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) to help their employees adapt to automated manufacturing. The study sought to determine the relative priorities of manufacturing establishments for training certain workers in certain skills; the status of education and training among manufacturing plants with CAD/CAM; training most likely to occur with different types of CAD/CAM equipment; and factors explaining variations among plants with respect to education and training. Two data sources were used for the study: a national probability survey of 393 firms conducted in August 1982, and Census Bureau data on industry-level characteristics from 1960 to 1980. Study results included the following: (1) 45% of the plants with CAD/CAM sponsored an educational and training program; (2) on the average, 25% of the workforce at a plant received training, with the least attention given to design engineers and programs, and shopfloor staff displaced by the new equipment; (3) skills and knowledge areas covered by the training ranged from basic engineering to safety; however, many aspects of CAD/CAM were ignored; (4) most plants used vendors to provide training, and most offered either partial or full reimbursement for instruction outside the plant; (5) as CAD/CAM equipment was integrated, training needs dramatically increased; and (6) factors related to the provision of training programs included the integration and prevalence of automated equipment, and organizational factors such as size, workforce composition and firm age. Recommendations and a discussion of implications are included. (LAL)