Under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, a five-year strategic plan (referred to as the "Research Plan") for the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA) is to be prepared every two years. This plan provides a strategic vision for research efforts based upon extensive input from stakeholders, a review of recent research efforts, an identification of areas where future research may be needed, and a review of possible research methodologies. This is the first five-year Research Plan for the USDOL/ETA, which was transmitted to the Congress, and covers the period of July 2000 through June 2005.