Examined is the history of federally funded vocational education and employability development programs created to address the specific labor market needs relating to underemployment and unemployment. This article serves as an introduction to four more articles concerning CETA and youth unemployment. (CT)

The persistent poor make up only about a third of all the poor, and the rest are temporarily poor because of sudden changes in their lives--loss of job, marital breakup, or illness. The two groups of rural poor have different needs and will be helped by different types of programs. (JHZ)