ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the reintroduction of apprenticeships in England, with a focus on education into employment. This is achieved by comparing English secondary schools with the Austrian system. The Austrian system was chosen due to its having over 40 years of very diverse educational provision, including a significant vocational and apprenticeship programme. The curriculum offer in England is determined by the national curriculum and supported by governmental accountability measures, which focus on academic subjects. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) has been neglected in England, regardless of the student's interests, passion or abilities. With the introduction of more specialised TVET provision in England, it may possibly allow for routes to represent 'vocationalised' general education. The Austrian education system is run by the individual federal states and therefore there is no national curriculum standard as such. Intermediate and upper secondary technical and vocational schools/colleges offer pupils the possibility of choosing between different study courses.
