ABSTRACT
As early as 1954, concerns were expressed about the relationship between social class and participation in post compulsory education. The shift in the patterns of participation in post compulsory education in Britain over the past decade can be conceptualized in relation to structural changes that have occurred in the youth labour market and in welfare provision for 16 to 18 year olds. A market-based philosophy for education policy is founded on the premise that consumers will make rational choices, in order to maximize their long-term economic benefits. There is a dichotomous relationship between the marginalisation of the guidance curriculum in school and the expansion of the post compulsory education sector. The 1988 Education Reform Act saw career guidance in schools in England and Wales confirmed as a statutory part of curriculum, however structural changes in labour market and policy changes in relation to education and welfare saw a difference in the approach to career guidance.
