ABSTRACT
Unlike many other countries, England has always lacked strong vocational pathways from compulsory education into the world of work. In the two decades after the Second World War, only a small percentage of young people went on to university. Most others entered employment where they relied on their employers to provide training. Apprenticeships, however, were scarce and often weak, and most young people received little or no formal training. Adult retraining was largely absent. Since the 1960s, successive governments have attempted to enhance vocational routes but with very limited success. This chapter traces these attempts and discusses the consequences for the labour market where there is considerable evidence of skills mismatch. It concludes by discussing future challenges.
