The changes occurring in today's workplace — continuing expansion of new technologies, the shifting role of women in the work force, the effects of economic slowdowns — are all combining to revolutionize business. As business leaders, Rotary members share their skills and expertise through Vocational Service.

According to Rotary's classification principle, members join Rotary as the representative of their particular business or profession. This gives Rotarians the dual responsibility of representing their vocation within the club and of exemplifying the ideals of Rotary within the workplace. The essence of Vocational Service is the importance of high ethical standards in all professions, the importance of all vocations, and the opportunity to contribute one’s vocational talents to address the problems and needs of society.

Vocational Service can be performed in many areas:

Vocational Awareness: giving classification talks and conducting tours of members' businesses.

Vocational Awards: recognizing vocational excellence and high ethical standards. Career Development: using members' professional experience to advance employment, developing and supporting apprenticeship programs, organizing career-planning programs in schools, and retraining adults for new vocations.

Vocation at Work: generating new jobs within the community; working with retirees; addressing drug, alcohol and literacy problems in the workplace; creating vocational opportunities for the disabled; developing and implementing HIV/AIDS education and policy; and promoting high ethical standards.

Ethics: leading conferences and panel discussions for community members on ethical issues facing the community and holding group discussions for students where they apply the 4-Way Test to case studies.

"Service above self"