Unemployed older workers who have no expectation of securing employment in the occupation in which they are skilled should be able to secure counseling and retraining in an occupation with a future. Some vocational training schools provide such training, but the current need exceeds the facilities.

The present Federal program of vocational education began in 1917 with the passage of the Smith-Hughes Act, which provided a continuing annual appropriation of $7 million to support, on a matching basis, state administered programs of vocational education in agriculture, trades, industrial skills and home economics. Since 1917 some thirteen supplementary and related acts have extended this Federal program. The George-Barden Act of 1946 raised the previous increases in annual authorizations to $29 million in addition to the $7 million under the Smith Act. The Health Amendment Act of 1956 added $5 million for practical nurse training.

The latest major change in this program was introduced by the National Defense Education Act of 1958, Title 8, of which amended the George-Barden Act. Annual authorizations of $15 million were added for area vocational education programs that meet national defense needs for highly skilled technicians.

The Federal program of vocational education merely provides financial aid to encourage the establishment of vocational education programs in public schools. The initiative, administration and control remain primarily with the local school districts. Even the states remain primarily in an assisting role, providing leadership and teacher training.